Sinn Fein: Major Shake Up Of Short Term Letting To Be Expected

A Sinn Fein TD has welcomed the Housing Committee's decision to accept proposals that would result in "a major shakeup of the short-term lettings sector".

Changes to the planning laws are expected to come into effect later this year, on 01 July 2019.

Sinn Fein's Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said: "Under the new measures, which were approved today, if you are in a Rent Pressure Zone under the short-term letting legislation if you short term let your own home for less than 90 days there is no change.

"However, if you are letting your own home for more than 90 days, you will need planning permission and if you are letting a second property you will also need planning permission.

"For short term lets in your own home for more than ninety days granting planning permission will be open for consideration by local authorities.

"In cases of commercial short term lets property owners will also have to apply for planning permission, however the Minister indicated to committee today that his regulations will effectively mean a blanket ban in rent pressure zone areas."

This will lead to significant restrictions on short term lets within rent pressure zones while allowing genuine peer to peer home sharing to continue. While this measure alone will not heal the dysfunctional rental market, particularly in urban areas, Deputy Ó Broin said it will hopefully return some properties back to the long-term rental market.



(JG/CM)