A Labour MP has called for councils to be given licensing powers over Airbnb properties and short-term lets, accusing landlords operating in the sector of “hollowing out” local rental markets in her central London constituency.
Rachel Blake, MP for the City of Westminster, has introduced a Private Member’s Bill that would allow local authorities to regulate short-term lettings more effectively. She told the House of Commons that in some parts of her constituency, up to 30% of homes are now used as short-term lets.
Enforcement described as ‘impossible’
Blake said the existing London rule limiting short lets to 90 nights per year without planning permission is “operationally impossible to enforce” because of difficulties obtaining accurate data on how many nights properties are being let.
She cited research company AirDNA stating that nearly 6,000 short lets in the Cities of London and Westminster are being let beyond the 90-day limit. Blake claims this concentration has made remaining long-term rental homes less affordable for residents.
Rachel Blake MP said: “While every local authority should be able to undertake its own approach to this issue, local authorities such as Westminster and the City of London, where concentrations are so high, need to have the power to decide what is right for their areas.”
Safety and antisocial behaviour concerns
The MP also raised safety and antisocial behaviour issues linked to short lets, claiming there have been cases of “guests leaving cookers on, families with children being kept up with drug-fuelled parties taking place right next door night after night, and even organised crime outfits renting out apartments for a weekend to harass Londoners.”
The government is already planning to launch a short lets register this spring, and London will pilot stricter 90-night enforcement. Blake’s Bill would go further, giving councils discretionary licensing powers similar to those used for HMOs and selective licensing schemes.
The proposals follow growing pressure from campaign groups and MPs calling for tighter controls on short-term lets in areas where they are seen to reduce housing supply for local residents.
Opinion
Landlords considering a switch from long-term tenancies to the short-let market should watch these proposals closely. If councils gain licensing powers, operating costs in high-demand areas like central London could rise significantly. The government clearly sees short lets as part of the housing supply problem rather than a neutral investment choice.
