Huge growth and ethical concerns make Airbnb users think again
With its burgeoning, vibrant arts scene, Margate was the perfect base for Dan Thompson, a writer and social activist. But when his landlord came to sell his flat, he was left with nowhere to move to, due to a shortage of properties in the area.
One reason, he believes, is that many of the homes are let as short-term rentals on Airbnb. Almost 640 entire homes are let out in the coastal town, according to rental analytics company AirDNA.
Now, when he travels, Thompson refuses to stay in Airbnb rentals that are not occupied by the owner of the property. “I realised I was being hypocritical – by staying in one, I was part of the problem.”
When it began in 2007, the site was a way for people to make extra money by renting out a room in their own home. Now it has turned into a tech behemoth that has changed the profile of rentals in many large cities around the world.
With properties used solely as holiday lets, without any owners present, holiday hotspots such as Whitstable, Cornwall and parts of Wales have become swamped with Airbnbs.
The number of “entire places” for rent in coastal areas in England and Wales soared by 56% between 2019 and 2022, compared with 15% in non-coastal areas, according to Inside Airbnb, a non-commercial project that looks at the impact on residential housing markets. Airbnb has questioned the accuracy of these findings.
The government has set out proposals to change the law on holiday rentals, such as requiring owners in England to require planning permission to turn properties into short-term lets.
Communities secretary Michael Gove says local people have been pushed out of towns, villages and cities. “I’m determined we ensure more people have access to homes at affordable prices, and that we prioritise
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