Home-sharing a “nightmare”, says community group

BY LUCAS BAIRD

The Neighbours not Strangers community group has urged the City of Sydney to reconsider their attitude towards citizens using home-sharing sites like AirBnb and Stayz.

Short term house-letting services can now be classified as “exempt development”, and Neighbours not Strangers claimthat the impact of these services have been a “nightmare”.

When classified as exempt development, owners who wish to let out their dwellings for short term accommodation through services like AirBnb, would not have apply for a permit if they meet certain requirements such as only letting for a certain number of days a year.

The City of Sydney Council recommended this reform to an Upper House inquiry into the adequacy of short term letting in November last year.

However, Neighbours not Strangers convenor, Trish Burt, said that the City of Sydney’s decision had become “unacceptable” to a community that had been been rocked by the influx of short term rentals.

“Needless to say, short term rentals made our home lives a living nightmare, both in the daily/nightly disruption, constant breaches of security and almost total loss of amenity, nil sense of community, additional costs borne by all owners.” Ms Burt told City Hub.

Ms Burt said that the council’s decision was “planning anarchy” and that “Council’s recommendations contravene the three C’s of good town planning: clarity, consistency and certainty”.

The group appear to have the support of Councillor Linda Scott, who when asked by City Hub said that she would continue to organise meetings with the Shadow Minister for Planning in relation to issues concerning Sydney residents, including short term letting.

But Neighbours not Strangers seem to be facing an uphill battle after a City of Sydney spokesperson gave no indication that they will back down from their previous submission.

“We have found that community members, platform owners and visitor accommodation providers want a state-wide approach that is clear and consistent,” the spokesperson said.

“Our submission asked the NSW Government to strike a balanced approach that clearly distinguished occasional short-term letting from commercial tourist accommodation – permitting short-term letting under circumstances that would minimise impacts on neighbours.”

“We have recommended a new definition for short-term rentals and a consistent approach across NSW.”

But Ms Burt said that this approach was “unacceptable” and “unsustainable” for the community.

“Residents call this stealing […] It steals our rights to live in our chosen residential environment and our inalienable rights to an affordable, safe and stable living environment.”

The City of Sydney spokesperson also urged anyone with concerns about overcrowding, to call their customer service line.