The party's over: Kensington & Chelsea to curb anti-social behaviour with pilot licensing system for Airbnb-style short lets

A London council is promising a crackdown on excessive Airbnb-style short letting after a string of complaints about high-end flats allegedly being used for illegal raves, drug dealing and prostitution. 
Nightmare: more than 100 revellers descended on a Maida Vale flat hired for an all-night rave in June last year, it was claimed. Partygoers were pictured crowding on to a balcony in Warrington Crescent
Ruth Bloomfield26 January 2018

Kensington & Chelsea council says it is preparing a new licensing system after receiving 91 complaints in the last two years of homeowners renting out their property on short lets for more than the current maximum of 90 days a year.

The council says that under the current rules it has only been able to issue 11 people with enforcement notices ordering them to desist.

It will discuss a specially commissioned report into problems being caused by short lets in the borough on Thursday, 25 January.

In advance of Government action the council will consider a pilot licensing scheme to protect key areas.

Anyone letting a house or flat for short lets would have to apply for a licence — at an unspecified cost — and would then have to comply with council-set rules including taking responsibility for the antisocial behaviour of paying guests.

Non-compliance with licence conditions could result in fixed penalty notices of up to £30,000 “for more severe issues”.

Malcolm Spalding, chairman of the council working group set up to investigate the issue, said: “Many Londoners have found, in common with residents of other global cities, that the increase in short-term holiday lettings has coincided with an increase in antisocial behaviour, the deterioration of the neighbourhood environment, and in addition to this local businesses have raised concerns about the impacts.

“Concerns have also been expressed in many cities with a large number of short-term lettings about the consequent loss of permanent residential accommodation.”

As well as noise nuisance and damage to homes, short lets in blocks of flats could cause legal problems to other residents by “potentially invalidating block insurance”. And there could be damage to communal areas and “security issues”.

The report examines cases of homes being used for “pay parties” advertised on social media, prostitution, and drug storage and dealing.

And it reveals that residents of the borough’s garden squares have complained about guests being tempted by homeowners to rent central London homes with the offer of keys to use the gardens. Some of these short-term tenants then hold disruptive barbecues and leave litter.

Currently it is legal to rent out a property for up to 90 days per year without the need for any red tape.

Anyone who wants to use their property for short lets for more than 90 days must apply for planning permission from their local council. Breaching this rule could result in fines of up to £20,000.

In reality, however, very few applications for planning consent are made, while breaches are hard to detect as many people let their properties on multiple sites.