City Council action on Airbnb short term lets long overdue

Labour Senator Kevin Humphreys has welcomed the long overdue action by Dublin City Council against the proliferation of short term lets without appropriate planning permission.

Senator Humphreys said:

“The reports today that Dublin City Council has finally begun a crackdown on Airbnb-type short term lets without planning permission is welcome but long overdue.

“I have been raising this issue for nearly a year now, and have also prepared draft legislation to address it. To date I have been awaiting to see the type of direct action that the Government would take.

“In the meantime I have assisted a large number of residents of apartment blocks and streets in the city centre area progress complaints through Dublin City Council.

“The action now is welcome, but I believe the current penalties in place are not enough to deter unscrupulous landlords from the type of profits that are being made, and that a register of properties will be required to ensure that those homes offered through these type of sites for short term lets have the proper planning permission.

“Since I began this campaign I have been inundated with stories from across Dublin of the disruption this activity is now causing in communities and apartment blocks.

“Separately it has led to the removal of thousands of homes from the rental market that could be housing families. Due to that we have seen hotels housing families made homeless, while homes are used for tourists.

“I hope these cases will now spur on more official action to tackle once and for all this disruptive activity.”