HMRC Investigation Into Airbnb Landlords May Be Last Straw For Short-Term Letting Growth

The upcoming investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) into Airbnb landlords could result in a significant exodus of landlords from the short term letting sector, property management firm Apropos has warned. Airbnb has passed on the financial transactions of 225,000 people who rent out homes and rooms through its site, which could potentially result in landlords having to pay substantial bills, particularly those who operated multiple properties using the site. This investigation by HMRC into the income earned by these property owners between 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 means that many more landlords will feel that the short-term letting market is not for them. Read more on the Property Wire website.

https://www.propertywire.com/news/house-builder-progresses-works-on-new-15m-housing-development-in-west-oxfordshire/ 

Short-Let Properties Opened To Key Workers For Free

A new partnership scheme has been launched by the short-term let industry to provide free accommodation to the capital’s NHS workers amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Launched by UnderTheDoormat, together with a number of partners who usually operate in the short-term let market, the scheme, the NHS Homes scheme will provide free accommodation and additional services to NHS staff to enable them to stay near the hospitals they work in during the outbreak. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/coronavirus-short-let-properties-opened-to-key-workers-for-free/

Cross-Party Groups Of MPs Call For Change To Supported Housing Plans

Two cross-party select committees have “strongly recommended” the government rethinks its plans to introduce a top-up fund for short-term supported housing controlled by councils. The HCLG Select Committee and the Work and Pensions Select Committee chairs wrote to Heather Wheeler, the junior minister responsible for supported housing. They called for the government to only fund emergency accommodation through a top-up fund and include all other short-term supported housing under its ‘sheltered rent’ plan. Under the proposals a sheltered rent would apply to extra care and sheltered housing, but short-term accommodation up to two years, such as women’s refuges and homelessness shelters, would be funded through council grants. Read more on Inside Housing.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:SC6JcyE9W2sJ:https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/home/home/cross-party-groups-of-mps-call-for-change-to-supported-housing-plans-54511+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&safe=vss

Labour Will Help 9m Renters Save £600 Each

Nine million renters would save more than £600 each in the next parliament under Labour’s plans to ban letting agent fees and cap rent increases for longer-term tenants. Ed Miliband will set out the predicted savings as the party launches a new campaign to make sure people in short-term accommodation are registered and ready to vote at the next election. Private renters are the most under-registered group when it comes to signing up to the electoral roll, with 56% of them not able to vote in their constituency. Miliband has already set out a number of policies to address the costs faced by renters, including introducing standard three-year contracts, stopping estate agents charging extra fees and capping rent increases for those on longer term contracts. Read more on the Guardian website.