AirBnB and COVID19

Mrs OBumble · 24-10-2020 12:25am

Wompa1 wrote: »

I fear the landlords are going to be propped up throughout COVID, ....

Free market would dictate more supply = more competition = lower pricing. Not happening. If the virus p1sses off and these landlords are allowed to just go right back to AirBnB for months on end, it'll be a right slap to the face for young people.

Who is propping landlords up?

We don't have a free market. Property owners who put up property for rent are subject to extensive controls. Right now, they cannot even evict tenants who don't pay any rent, or whose anti-social behaviour terrorises the neighbours. (The latter is particularly galling: they are regarded as responsible by the PRTB, but cannot do a fr*gging thing about it.) Even outside of COVID-times, the process of evicting non-paying tenants is gruesome.

Can you really not see why they don't want divert properties from short-term non tenancy lets back to long term?

(And I say that as a tenant!)

Wompa1 · 24-10-2020 7:49am

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Who is propping landlords up?

We don't have a free market. Property owners who put up property for rent are subject to extensive controls. Right now, they cannot even evict tenants who don't pay any rent, or whose anti-social behaviour terrorises the neighbours. (The latter is particularly galling: they are regarded as responsible by the PRTB, but cannot do a fr*gging thing about it.) Even outside of COVID-times, the process of evicting non-paying tenants is gruesome.

Can you really not see why they don't want divert properties from short-term non tenancy lets back to long term?

(And I say that as a tenant!)

Banks and Government. There are over 4,500 properties in Ireland where there has been no mortgage repayments made in 10 years. There are still thousands of empty buildings around the country and not nearly enough social housing. The City Council said they had no resources to enforce law changes for short term rentals.

My dad was a landlord and had problems with a non-paying tenant, alright. It was terrible but those tenants are the exception, not the rule. You are a tenant yourself, do you not pay your rent and destroy your place? Have you ever?

Apparently, when there is less demand for short term rentals in the city the landlords are fine to deal with the extensive controls you talk about....

zell12 · 24-10-2020 9:06am

Wompa1 wrote: »

Banks and Government.

The prevailing thought is:
A fall in house prices would dent asset wealth, lower borrowing capacity of homeowners, and undermine investment in productive parts of the economy.
It would relieve pressure on those suffering from lower real wages, unemployment and rising rent.

Who do you think is more valued by society the economy?

zell12 · 09-11-2020 7:20pm

Rents in Galway city have risen by almost 5% in the past year, a new daft.ie report has revealed.
https://www.galwaydaily.com/news/housing/average-rents-in-galway-city-and-county-revealed-in-new-daft-ie-report/

Wompa1 · 14-12-2020 9:25am

214 Room to Share
125 House/Apt
14/12/2020

Seemed when students came back the numbers hadn't adjusted as much as they seem to have now. Hard to tell if it's due to a purge caused by Daft re-designing their site or possibly property owners shifting back to AirBnB and Trip Advisor for short term rentals over the holidays.

zell12 · 27-12-2020 8:10am

Rents in Galway city overtake Cork city as second highest nationwide

Between Q2 and Q3 of 2020, average rents in Galway city increased from €1,169 to €1,269 –increase of 8.5%.
In the county, the Connemara South electoral district has highest rents at €1,043pm, Athenry at €1,023pm and Gort/Kinvara at €950pm

Wompa1 · 28-12-2020 9:42am

zell12 wrote: »

Rents in Galway city overtake Cork city as second highest nationwide

It's mad isn't it? Supply and demand seems to have damn all to do with it.

Ludikrus · 28-12-2020 2:48pm

Folks were saying 10 months the greedy Landlords would be begging for tenants lol.

Wompa1 · 28-12-2020 11:47pm

Ludikrus wrote: »

Folks were saying 10 months the greedy Landlords would be begging for tenants lol.

There are now over 5,000 properties for which no mortgage repayments have been made for over 10 years. There's very little risk for landlords.

zell12 · 23-02-2021 9:18am

Rents still rising

In the past year,
average cost to rent in Galway City +4.6% to €1,370
average cost of a room, city centre +20.9% to €469, city suburbs +18.9% to €441.

Threshold say lack of one-bedroom accommodation and the exodus of workers from Dublin due to C-19 have contributed
https://ww1.daft.ie/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Q4-2020-Rental-Report.pdf

Wompa1 · 24-02-2021 12:32am

zell12 wrote: »

Rents still rising

The bit about a lack of one bed apartments is strange for Galway. The city has never really had many one bed apartments.

Interesting to see some property companies with a good few rentals listed who typically don't have much in the way of rentals. One of which had told me before they only usually manage rentals as a favor to property owners who they do a lot of business with...

zell12 · 27-02-2021 5:43pm

They mean demographics are changing, there are more singletons than before, and new strangers in shared tenancies are not exactly kosher in these times

zell12 · 20-06-2021 10:18am

There is more 'staycations' this year. I assume more are taking advantage and turning Airbnb.
Anyone else notice this?
https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/ie/default/galway/overview

Wompa1 · 20-06-2021 10:42pm

zell12 wrote: »

There is more 'staycations' this year. I assume more are taking advantage and turning Airbnb.
Anyone else notice this?
https://www.airdna.co/vacation-rental-data/app/ie/default/galway/overview

Not in the city but where I'm living a few of my neighbors who ran their own AirBnBs before the pandemic have been back at it over the last few months. A few who never did it before have started too. So far it's a mix. The first couple of weeks it was mostly staycationers. Over the last few weeks it has been mostly people from the North and England.

Wompa1 · 10-11-2021 4:02pm

Pretty predictable but a quick check, a few months from now AirBnB outside of the holiday times, before peak tourist season and before the end of the college term showing 128 properties available in Galway City. Currently, Daft has 24.

zell12 · 16-11-2021 6:09pm

2014: average monthly rent in Galway City €828

2021: average monthly rent in Galway City €1475

Wompa1 · 24-03-2022 11:30pm

45 Rooms to Share

17 Houses/Apt

24/03/2022

60 properties on AirBnB for next weekend and that is obviously short notice so likely to be more already booked and thus not available at the moment. Bonkers that the Council are doing feck all about it still.

zell12 · 02-04-2022 1:15pm

AirBnB types flouting law, as it is “a very difficult area to effectively enforce”

https://connachttribune.ie/galway-city-planning-officials-flag-enforcement-problems-with-airbnb-regulations/

Wompa1 · 14-04-2022 1:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118870049#Comment_118870049

They should outsource the evidence gathering, fine the offenders and pay the outsourced company the fines.

grbear · 18-04-2022 10:02am

That article would suggest that the existing regulations aren't good enough. The amount of admin work needed to sort a fairly low number of cases seems out of whack.

Wompa1 · 29-04-2022 11:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118942013#Comment_118942013

Should be automated. The short term lets are all available online. It can be programmatically tracked and physical spot checks can be completed too. It would be pretty easy but I'd bet they don't have the know how. If they suspect it, they should issue a warning. If the warnings go unheeded then go after them and gather proof of payments. All of these bookings are made online and leave a paper trail. If the council isn't capable of doing it, they should outsource and give all of the money made from fines to a 3rd party company to supply the data.

Homelander · 01-05-2022 4:38am

https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/city-and-county-council-launched-just-5-investigations-into-short-term-lets-last-year/

Seems relevant. A few questions here.

I understand it's difficult for local authorities but really, 5?

Seems a similar story for some other areas that are well known for AirBnB.

There appears to be zero consistency between local councils. Some have tons of warnings/investigations while others have none.

ben.schlomo · 01-05-2022 10:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119000195#Comment_119000195

There was a story on Rte News app yesterday about Govt plans for an overhaul of this to make it easier for enforcement etc. Probably still up there.

zell12 · 24-05-2022 8:59pm

505 flats/houses on AirBnB on 24/05

30-05-2022 9:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119109162#Comment_119109162

Do you mind me asking, how are you viewing Galway using that site? Best I can get to is a Dublin view

zell12 · 30-05-2022 9:26pm

http://insideairbnb.com/ireland then drop down filter by Council area

30-05-2022 9:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119137015#Comment_119137015

Much appreciated

Wompa1 · 01-06-2022 5:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119109162#Comment_119109162

Thats only those that are available in the listings? So any that are already booked presumably don't show up?

zell12 · 01-06-2022 8:50pm

Dunno. Also the data is fixed at one timeline (possibly Dec 2021) http://insideairbnb.com/data-assumptions

The data utilizes public information compiled from the Airbnb web-site including the availabiity calendar for 365 days in the future, and the reviews for each listing. Data is verified, cleansed, analyzed and aggregated.
Listings can be deleted in the Airbnb platform. The data presented here is a snapshot of listings available at a particular time.

20-06-2022 10:11pm

AirBnB asking for the govt to set up a register of properties that are allowed to be on their site

https://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/property-mortgages/airbnb-to-block-landlords-who-breach-letting-laws-41769312.html

21-06-2022 6:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119228783#Comment_119228783

If Airbnb wanted to stop illegal lets on their site, it wouldn't be difficult, have someone prove its the principal private residence by providing their tax documents to show that they're registered for tax there, show their names on utility bills, show that they own the property or have permission from their landlord to short term let it and don't allow them to let it for more than 90 days. When people actually report illegal listings to them, they don't want to know.

For all the talk of emergency legislation they had being pushed through before the summer recess, there was another article in the independent that seems like its being pushed down the line "Department of Tourism is also scoping out the legislative provisions that will be required to underpin the new registration system with a view to these provisions being enacted in 2022.”" https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/new-register-for-short-term-rentals-due-to-open-before-the-end-of-2022-41772319.html

Wompa1 · 19-08-2022 1:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119232109#Comment_119232109

Looks like listings will require to have the correct permits from September.

https://connachttribune.ie/state-cracks-down-on-quick-buck-landlords-565/

So...after these landlords maximise returns during the tourist season and just as the students have to start back. The disdain the Gov has towards young people in this country is unreal.

19-08-2022 2:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119493638#Comment_119493638

This week, almost 400 short-term lets were available on the leading website, Airbnb, while just 19 homes were up for rent on Daft.ie

Jaysus

Wompa1 · 19-08-2022 2:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119493828#Comment_119493828

'tis wore than that. A week earlier there was only 14 and Airbnb is just one source for short term rentals. TripAdvisor is another big one.

19-08-2022 5:03pm

The Dept of Housing is supposed to release a more detailed policy about it but hasn't done so, the last thing on their site about it is a document from this month debating whether they should bother enforcing it from my reading of it. It doesn't commence until they say so

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/10e30-regulatory-impact-analysis-ria-amendments-to-the-short-term-letting-provisions-in-section-3a-of-the-planning-and-development-act-2000-as-proposed-in-section-3-of-the-planning-and-development-maritime-and-valuation-amendment-bill-2022/

"The Bill comprises two core elements: • providing that - from a date yet to be specified- for a period of six months, nonprincipal private residences in RPZs shall not be advertised or accept bookings on online platforms or other media for short term letting purposes without the necessary planning permission being in place in respect of the property concerned or the property concerned being otherwise exempted. This period may be extended for further 6 month periods subject to positive resolutions by both Houses of the Oireachtas; • giving the Minister regulation making powers to require the owners of STL properties or their nominated agents to produce evidence of planning compliance as certified by a planning authority, or of an exemption from same, for the purpose of confirming entitlement to advertise a non-principal private residence located in a RPZ on an online platform or other media."

Mrs OBumble · 19-08-2022 5:47pm

So government policy has made it extremely unattractive to be a landlord of a long-term or a short-term let.

Way to go ....

19-08-2022 9:22pm

The thing I really don't get is they could resolve the housing issues of the nation, in terms of rentals, overnight by killing the short term letting sector.

It has to be coming soon, I don't see how they can continue to have a situation with the numbers (400 on AirBnB Vs 19 on Daft.ie) and say they are taking action.

Maybe this latest move will see a flood of rentals coming back on to the market but I have my doubts

Mrs OBumble · 20-08-2022 12:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119495627#Comment_119495627

You think they should totally fúck over tourists (shure who needs jobs anyway), overseas workers who are here on short term contracts, students, people, student doctors on rotation, people who are in a different city accompanying sick relatives, etc etc?

20-08-2022 1:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119496238#Comment_119496238

I'm not one to defend the Government but the rules about short term rentals have been in place for years now. The ones at fault are the people who flaunted that and still let out properties that they legally couldn't and the platforms that let them.

If you look at airbnb will still allow me to advertise 10 different properties from one account, theres no way 1 person can have 10 principal residences.

Its going to be a **** show because we have the perfect storm of no rentals and all reasonably priced hotels are block booked. The time to tackle this was during the pandemic.

Wompa1 · 20-08-2022 11:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119496238#Comment_119496238

But that doesn't really hold up since they can't find places to rent already...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119494910#Comment_119494910

If we're all acknowledging that right now that the market is f*cked, buying is impossible and renting is impossible then hell yeah, absolutely drive landlords out. Let them sell up and flood the marketing with hundreds (possibly thousands since many don't post listings, they go word of mouth and take cash in hand) of properties to drive the price down. Long term, get more public housing like other countries in Europe. What we've been doing hasn't been working. Shock the system. Better than doing nothing. At least part of the problem lessen.

09-11-2022 5:05pm

This might shake things up, maybe

The EU proposed rules this week requiring Airbnb and similar companies to share with officials the identities of hosts renting houses and apartments to tourists.

It's hoped this data will give continental cities an idea of how much property is being used for the tourist trade – rather than as homes – at a time of housing shortages. Identifying when and where property is illegally rented out to visitors contrary to zoning is another aim.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/11/08/eu_airbnb_regulation/

zell12 · 22-11-2022 12:46pm

The average rent in City is +16% at €1,700, and the County it’s +12% just over €1,200.

https://connachttribune.ie/galway-city-rents-rose-by-over-16-in-the-past-year/

zell12 · 06-04-2023 2:31pm

Cork students are taking action, issuing formal complaints about illegal short-lets, cos no one else will

https://www.ontheditch.com/illegal-airbnbs/

Wompa1 · 05-05-2023 5:30pm

AirBnB property supply way down:

https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/airbnb-supply-down-by-almost-a-third-since-start-of-covid-analysis-shows/42433381.html

Rules softened around Europe for exemptions on rent pressure zones with less than 5k residents:

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/new-rules-for-rural-airbnbs-29657866

Its amazing they seem so willing to bend over for short term rentals but regulations kept Uber and Lyft out for years. Would think accessibility to a home would be a higher priority than taxi regulations.

zell12 · 05-05-2023 8:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120559607#Comment_120559607

Isn't AirBnB only one short-term letting company?

Wompa1 · 05-05-2023 11:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120560261#Comment_120560261

They are. Noticed an uptick on Trip Advisor who haven't required the permit number.

zell12 · 29-05-2023 1:46pm

Across the county, there are almost 1,500 short-term lets available – but just 76 rental properties on Daft.

https://connachttribune.ie/20-times-more-properties-in-galway-on-airbnb-than-daft/

And that's just one short-term letting site

Wompa1 · 29-05-2023 3:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120653751#Comment_120653751

Woah! Look at those numbers for Clare! 🤯

We started the listing the point in time numbers relatively late in the game but the 1500 properties in Co. Galway is a pretty significant decrease from a few years ago BUT as you said, this is just one short term rental site and I'm sure some landlords have sold up or in some cases gone off the paper trail.

zell12 · 05-06-2023 10:24am

Eh moaning to a voluntary regulation agency, what about enforcing the law?

“That Galway City Council will write to the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland to complain that short-term letting platforms are carrying advertisements for properties within the Galway Rent Pressure Zone which are in breach of planning regulations.”

“Anytime from Friday afternoon on into the evening, you’ll hear wheels of suitcases rolling along pavements through the city centre and the back streets. You’ll see people with the phones out looking at their maps. It’s very noticeable. Galway is a tourist destination and that’s problematic. You have a very high number of short-term lets being used for holiday purposes and that damages the availability and also the affordability for what’s left.”

https://www.thejournal.ie/galway-airbnb-6084245-Jun2023/

Mrs OBumble · 05-06-2023 10:38am

What mechanisms does the council have for enforcing the law? Can they fine property owners just for advertising?

AirBnB and COVID19

Comments