London boroughs have warned that government plans for regulating the short-term lets sector could worsen the capital’s housing crisis.
Cross-party group London Councils raised concerns about a proposal to create a new ‘planning use’ category for short-term lets properties that are not used as a sole or main home.
Planning permission is needed to let a property for 90 or more nights a year but under the plans, existing short-term lets would be automatically transferred into the new category without the need for a planning application.
London Councils has estimated that there are at least 43,000 short-term lets in the capital and said a ‘significant portion’ of these would move into the new category, meaning the loss of thousands of homes from London’s permanent housing stock.
The group’s executive member for regeneration, housing and planning, Darren Rodwell, said: ‘With housing and homelessness pressures in the capital worse than ever, boroughs are extremely concerned about losing permanent housing stock.
‘The priority has to be ensuring homes are available for long-term residents.’
Boroughs welcomed other aspects of the new plans for short-term lets, which include a mandatory national register of properties.
The Government said more detail would be set out in its response to consultations, with the changes set to be introduced ‘from this summer’.
