Airbnb owners ‘confused’ over regulations
People don’t know where they stand and are confused about what is happening around the regulation of Airbnbs, according to a West Mayo councillor.
Louisburgh-based Cllr Chris Maxwell told last week's meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District that the new regulations around Airbnbs, which are a knock-on consequence of the Government declaring the entire country a Rent Pressure Zone, needed to be clearly outlined to people, perhaps through an information leaflet from Mayo County Council.
“People don’t where they are at. I suggest you write down the guidelines of what is expected, in terms of planning, whether you have to get an engineer to put in for a change of use, how much will it cost etc, because at the minute they are working in a vacuum.
“In my area of Louisburgh, we have no hotel. We are trying to bring in tourism and have our few little places looking to offer these services but now it is being treated as a new form of taxation and putting guilt on them, which is very unfair. This is an essential service to bring in tourists and the providers need to be given peace of mind.”
Cllr Gerry Coyle said there was no hotel either in Aughleam, Rossport and other parts of Erris, making Airbnbs an essential service.
“Some of these people have been blackened by a myth that is there now that they don’t pay tax. I operated one myself and paid 50% tax, so this is all pure and utter rubbish. The people have to get insurance, someone inspects the property and they must have fire alarms. They are doing a service to the community."
Head of the district Seamus Ó Mongain advised the councillors that full information on the rules around short-term letting is available on the Citizens Information website.
