Letting law delay after lobbying by Airbnb

Senior Airbnb staff sought to have the short-term letting register delayed.

The Government opted to delay the introduction of its new short-term letting rules until Christmas after lobbying from Airbnb, new documents show.

The new rules will require anyone who is offering paid accommodation for more than 21 nights a year to be registered with Fáilte Ireland, while also being mandated to receive planning permission for their short-term let.

The register was originally due to be established and operational by May 20 this year before being pushed back until December 1.

Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show that senior Airbnb staff sought to have the short-term letting register delayed.

In a letter to enterprise minister Peter Burke, dated May 7, Velma Corcoran, Airbnb’s director of public policy campaigns for Northern Europe, Middle East, and Africa, said that there were “strong concerns” about the introduction of the register.

“Our host community is currently extremely concerned about the ongoing uncertainty regarding the future regulatory framework, particularly given the original intention for the short-term letting register to go online by May 20 and, in the absence of any sight of the new planning rules, is increasingly anxious about whether they will be in a position to comply in time for the upcoming busy tourism season,” Ms Corcoran wrote.

“The lack of a clear timeline is creating operational uncertainty for those who rely on this period as a critical part of their annual income, particularly in our rural communities, which depend so heavily on tourism.”

Ms Corcoran called for a “longer lead period” before the short-term letting register as a “matter of urgency”.

“An implementation date in late 2026 or early 2027, after the peak time in the tourism cycle, would provide our hosts with much-needed time to prepare, familiarise themselves with the new rules, and ensure compliance,” she added.

Replying to the letter a week later, on May 13, a principal officer at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment confirmed that the Government had taken a decision to delay the introduction of the register until December 1, with people required to be registered by December 31.

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An Airbnb spokesperson said: “Our engagement with the Government is entirely standard practice and in line with the rest of the industry.

“The point we have made to the Government is that sufficient implementation time is needed to ensure hosts and platforms can comply effectively with the new requirements.

“Effective compliance is in everyone’s interest and will help ensure the new system works as intended.”

Asked about Airbnb’s lobbying, a spokesperson for the Department of Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment said that the revised date was set to “allow for the completion of the legislative framework required to establish the register and provide certainty regarding implementation timelines”.