STRs: Trust Is What Makes Them 'Work'
The Spin Team at Airbnb needs us to ignore the fact that the absolute necessity, in order for their operations and profits in the billions to grow, is to have deregulated our Housing/Building Codes/Tenants’ Rights/Disability/Fire & Rescue/Taxation and of course, Health & Safety Legislation.
Given Airbnb and Expedia’s penetration into homes – 58,250 at last count with 100s of other operators in the game – there can be no checks; and that’s official and legislated at both State and Local Government levels
We present the example of a laundry (see photo above ) used to facilitate short-term letting. The room is beset with water/sewage leaks and vermin. Surfaces are splattered with faeces and the ‘rollaway beds’ are covered in cockroach droppings. What the photographs can’t convey is the overwhelming stench present in the room which is impregnating the bed linen and towels.
Health NSW advises: “Local Health District officials are unable to assist on matters of concern inside residential properties – “Privacy Legislation” bars their involvement.”
And City of Sydney Council, one example only: “Councils are not authorised to take action…unless there is a health risk posed to the general public.”
To be very clear, if the ‘risk’ isn’t outside on the footpath or further into the Public Space, no action can or will be taken.
So, where authorities have the power to inspect and take action against licensed accommodation providers, B&B establishments included, they are barred from residential homes being let to clients by Airbnb & Mob.
We are about to be asked by NSW State Ministers and MPs to ‘trust them to trust Airbnb, Agoda, Expedia, Apartments Plus, Bookings.com, Breather, Checkin.com, Chinatraveldepot, Easytobook, Feelgoodholidays, Hotelclub, Laterate, Lastminute, Ozehols, Paystaydeals, Roamfree, Standby.com, Trivago, Wegotravel, Zenbu….'
