Landlords are ‘operating illegally’ by using companies such as Airbnb to avoid rules and taxes, MP warns.
The chair of the business, innovation and skills committee has written to Sadiq Khan about the problem of landlords using Airbnb to let properties out for longer than 90 days.
He warned such practices ‘help to drive up property prices, compounding issues of affordability in the capital.’
It is currently illegal for landlords to rent out their properties for longer than 90 days. A landlord would require planning permission to extend this period.
Ian Wright MP, the committee’s chair, said he had had reports this law was ‘unenforceable’.
He also warned companies like Airbnb also enable landlords to ‘circumvent tax, food, health and fire safety regulations’, which gives them an unfair competitive advantage.
