Should Tamborine Mountain Impose Limits on Short Term Rentals

Short-term accommodation is being called into question
Short-term accommodation is being called into question

Short-term rentals such as Airbnb and Stayz are a booming business on Tamborine Mountain and Councillor Amanda Hay believes it’s time to consider putting restrictions on them.

Councillor Hay said it is estimated there are around 500 operating, however, many of them are unregistered and fly under the radar.

As the rental crisis shows no sign of abating, she fears these short-term lets may be impacting the availability of rental properties on the mountain.

A number of other councils have put in place restrictions.

Noosa Shire Council addressed this issue by preventing new short-term accommodation of whole dwellings in residential zones and any new ones can only be rented out four times and a maximum of 60 days per year.

They also require a 24-hour contact to act on complaints within 20 minutes.

It also proposed properties in rural and residential zones can be used for short-term stays only if the resident remains on site in their home.

Brisbane City Council is also trying to address rental shortages by requiring landlords to have a permit for short-term stays. The move aims to put hundreds of homes back onto the rental market.

Byron Bay locals campaigned the council for ten years to introduce a 60 day per year cap on short-term rentals.

“There are people who own four or more Airbnbs here, and they don’t live on the mountain,” Councillor Hay said.

“We have a housing crisis and dwellings that are permanently utilised for only Airbnb means one less property to deal with the housing crisis.”

However, Emma Hawker principal at Ray White Tamborine Mountain said there has probably been an increase in short-term lets since COVID, but the majority are still owner/occupiers.

“There has always been a high quantity of holiday homes here. Airbnb made it easier to do,” she said.

Councillor Hay said she gets regular complaints from neighbours about issues living near short-term stays.

A spokesperson for Scenic Rim Regional Council said they had not received a notable volume of complaints, although those they do receive relate to noise and the number of cars in the street.

She said the council was not considering any policy change such as capping.

Head of public policy for Airbnb Australia and New Zealand, Michael Crosby, said all hosts are expected to comply with local laws and regulations, most hosts share their homes responsibly and most guests are responsible.

“Airbnb supports the regulation of the short-term rental sector and has advocated for a statewide registration scheme for Queensland, which could be used by local councils to provide key data about the properties being used as accommodation,” Michael explained.

“We want to play a role in finding sensible long-term solutions to help increase the housing supply and to work with local councils to balance the benefits of home sharing with the needs of the community.”

He said they launched City Portal earlier this year to help councils understand the short-term rental landscape in their area.