The Governments proposed registration scheme for short-term lets must be mandatory and nationwide across England, trade body UKHospitality said.
In its response to the Government consultation on a short-term lets registration scheme for England, UKHospitality reiterated the need to bring short-term lets up to the standard of the majority of the visitor accommodation sector.
Lack of visibility in the short-term lets sector means it is challenging to check - let alone enforce - the same high standards as hotels, for example across crucial health and safety protections. This has created a two-tier accommodation sector.
UKHospitality Chief Executive, Kate Nicholls said: “This is an issue that we have long campaigned on, so I’m incredibly pleased that the Government has acted on our concerns by committing to introduce a registration scheme.
“The two-tier accommodation sector we currently have in place unfairly punishes hotels that follow some of the highest standards of health, safety and accessibility in the world, and it’s essential that short-term lets are brought up to standard.
“For the registration scheme to be a success, it needs to be mandatory and universal, preventing any loopholes being exploited and ensuring the majority of short-term lets in operation are covered by the scheme.
“It’s also fair to ensure that those businesses that already comply with the appropriate regulations should not be captured under the scheme, and it’s positive the Government has recognised this in its proposals.
“The introduction of this scheme will represent a significant step-change for the accommodation sector and will significantly bolster the reputation of our sector. I’m looking forward to continue working with them on the scheme’s development.”