Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture and Media, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of landlords converting a private home purchased under a buy-to-let mortgage to a short term holiday let.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
There is a lack of data and evidence about the size and shape of the short term lets sector, which is why DCMS issued a call for evidence on the benefits and challenges presented by the rise in short-term and holiday letting.
The call for evidence ran from 29 June to 21 September and analysis of the 4,000 responses is now underway.
We wanted to hear from a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, in order to build a much-needed evidence base on these issues and enable us to develop proportionate policy options for a possible future consultation.
With the call for evidence now closed, we will now consider the evidence collected and look to provide updates to the sector over the coming months regarding next steps.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of regulating short-term holiday lets to help support the sustainability of rural tourism and communities.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The sharing economy has brought many benefits to the tourism sector and wider economy, as well as creating an additional income stream for homeowners. In rural areas, the growth of the sharing economy has enabled travellers to utilise the flexible accommodation options on offer to explore lesser-known rural destinations and make the most of the leisure opportunities they offer. However, we recognise that the increase in short-term letting has also prompted some concerns including the impact on the housing market and local communities, and a sense that new entrants in the market are not being held to the same health and safety standards as, for example, hotels and B&Bs.
The Government’s Call for Evidence on the Short-Term Letting of Tourism Accommodation ran from 29 June to 21 September and analysis of the responses is now underway.
We wanted to hear from a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, in order to build a much-needed evidence base on these issues and enable us to develop proportionate policy responses for a future consultation.
With the Call for Evidence now closed, we will now consider the evidence collected and look to provide updates to the sector over the coming months regarding our next steps.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the potential use of short term holiday lets for illegal activities, whether she has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of licencing short term holiday lets.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The sharing economy has brought many benefits to the tourism sector and wider economy, as well as creating an additional income stream for homeowners. However, we recognise that the increase in short-term letting has also prompted some concerns. These include the impact on the housing market and local communities, and a sense that new entrants in the market are not being held to the same health and safety standards as, for example, hotels and B&Bs.
The Government committed in the Tourism Recovery Plan published in June last year to consider a possible Tourist Accommodation Registration Scheme in England. As a first step in this process, a Call for Evidence was published on 29 June and runs until 21 September.
We want to hear from a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, in order to build a much-needed evidence base on these issues and enable us to develop proportionate policy responses for a future consultation. We ideally want to strike a balance between the benefits of the sharing economy and addressing the concerns of the impact on some communities, alongside ensuring consistency in quality among the range of different tourism accommodation providers.
The Home Office does not collect data specifically in relation to short term holiday lets for the offences listed.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many cases of (a) criminal gangs, (b) drug dealing, (c) modern slavery or (d) sexual exploitation operating in short term holiday lets were recorded in England in the last 12 months.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The sharing economy has brought many benefits to the tourism sector and wider economy, as well as creating an additional income stream for homeowners. However, we recognise that the increase in short-term letting has also prompted some concerns. These include the impact on the housing market and local communities, and a sense that new entrants in the market are not being held to the same health and safety standards as, for example, hotels and B&Bs.
The Government committed in the Tourism Recovery Plan published in June last year to consider a possible Tourist Accommodation Registration Scheme in England. As a first step in this process, a Call for Evidence was published on 29 June and runs until 21 September.
We want to hear from a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, in order to build a much-needed evidence base on these issues and enable us to develop proportionate policy responses for a future consultation. We ideally want to strike a balance between the benefits of the sharing economy and addressing the concerns of the impact on some communities, alongside ensuring consistency in quality among the range of different tourism accommodation providers.
The Home Office does not collect data specifically in relation to short term holiday lets for the offences listed.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to make the provision of long-term homes for private rent more appealing than supplying holiday lets.
Answered by Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist
The sharing economy has brought many benefits to the tourism sector and wider economy, as well as creating an additional income stream for homeowners. However, we recognise that the increase in short-term letting has also prompted some concerns. These include the impact on the housing market and local communities particularly from those living in our most popular tourist destinations.
The Government committed in the Tourism Recovery Plan, published in June last year, to consult on a possible Short Term Accommodation Registration Scheme in England. A call for evidence as the first stage of that consultation process was published on 29 June and runs until 21 September. We will listen carefully to what local people and affected stakeholders have to say to make sure we respond appropriately with evidence-based policy proposals.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the supply of accommodation in the private rented sector; and in particular, of the effect of ultra-short term lets on the availability of longer-term rental tenancies.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Our key indicator on the size of the private rented sector is the English Housing Survey. The most recent headline report states that in 2020-21, the private rented sector accounted for 4.4 million or 19% of households in England, unchanged from 2019-20, but lower than in 2015-16 (20%). Renting is more prevalent in London where 27% of households lived in the private rented sector in 2020-21 (compared to 17% of households in the rest of England).
The sharing economy has brought many benefits to the tourism sector and wider economy, as well as creating an additional income stream for homeowners. However, we recognise that the increase in short-term letting has also prompted some concerns. These include the impact on the housing market and local communities, and a sense that new entrants in the market are not being held to the same health and safety standards as, for example, hotels and B&Bs.
The Government committed in the Tourism Recovery Plan published in June last year to consult on a possible Short Term Accommodation Registration Scheme in England. A call for evidence as the first stage of that consultation process was published on 29 June and runs until 21 September.
We want to hear from a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, in order to build a much-needed evidence base on these issues and enable us to develop proportionate policy responses. We ideally want to strike a balance between the benefits of the sharing economy and the concerns of the impacts on some communities, alongside ensuring consistency in quality among the range of different tourism accommodation providers.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to monitor the impact of short term holiday lets on (a) the availability of property for residential use, (b) property prices and (c) levels of noise and nuisance in local communities; and what factors she uses to monitor those impacts.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The sharing economy has brought many benefits to the tourism sector and wider economy, as well as creating an additional income stream for homeowners. However, we recognise that the increase in short-term letting has also prompted some concerns. These include the impact on the housing market and local communities, and a sense that new entrants in the market are not being held to the same health and safety standards as, for example, hotels and B&Bs.
The Government committed in the Tourism Recovery Plan published in June last year to consult on a possible Short Term Accommodation Registration Scheme in England. A call for evidence as the first stage of that consultation process was published on 29 June and runs until 21 September.
We want to hear from a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, in order to build a much-needed evidence base on these issues and enable us to develop proportionate policy responses. We ideally want to strike a balance between the benefits of the sharing economy and the concerns of the impacts on some communities, alongside ensuring consistency in quality among the range of different tourism accommodation providers.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the impact on each sector of the differences between the regulatory regimes which apply to (a) the B&B and Guest House sector and (b) the short term holiday let sector.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We committed to consult on a possible Short Term Accommodation Registration Scheme in England in June 2021’s Tourism Recovery Plan.
Due to the lack of robust data, firstly we want to build an evidence base about the short term tourist accommodation sector. The sharing economy has brought many benefits to the tourism sector and wider economy, as well as creating an additional income stream for homeowners.
On 29 June we published a call for evidence, seeking views and data on the size and shape of the market, as well as the positive and negative impacts of short term lets. This information will enable us to develop proportionate, evidence-based policy options for future consultation
This call for evidence is open to everyone and will run for 12 weeks until 21 September. We then intend to consult on specific policy options later in 2022.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposed abolition of fixed-term tenancies in the private rented sector on leasehold blocks of flats where short lets of under six months are prohibited.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The Government announced in our White Paper 'A Fairer Private Rented Sector' that all tenancies will be periodic, meaning tenants can stay in their home until they choose to leave or the landlord has a valid reason for possession.
The Government has consulted on tenancy reform and will continue to consider carefully the impacts of these reforms on the rental sector. We will look at all these issues as we prepare for legislation, including where they interact with other types of housing such as leasehold property.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with her Scottish counterpart on the Licensing Order and Control Area Amendment Regulations relating to short-term holiday lets that came into force in Scotland on 1 March 2022.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The sharing economy has brought many benefits to the tourism sector and wider economy, as well as creating an additional income stream for homeowners. However, we recognise that the increase in short-term letting has also prompted some concerns. These include the impact on the housing market and local communities, and a sense that new entrants in the market are not being held to the same health and safety standards as, for example, hotels and B&Bs.
The Government committed in the Tourism Recovery Plan published in June last year to consult on a possible Short Term Accommodation Registration Scheme in England. A call for evidence as the first stage of that consultation process was published on 29 June and runs until 21 September.
We want to hear from a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, in order to build a much-needed evidence base on these issues and enable us to develop proportionate policy responses. We ideally want to strike a balance between the benefits of the sharing economy and the concerns of the impacts on some communities, alongside ensuring consistency in quality among the range of different tourism accommodation providers.