A petition calling for tighter regulations for short-term holiday lets has been signed by more than 800 people amid warnings growing numbers of them are hollowing out York communities.
The Change.org petition set up by Labour Guildhall ward councillors calls for powers to control and restrict the number of lets, claiming they cause noise, antisocial behaviour and parking problems.
Guildhall’s Cllr Rachel Melly said the council was currently powerless to stop constant noise from weekly parties while Cllr Dave Merrett said communities faced irreversible damage without change.
But Andy Fenner, chief executive of the Short-Term Accommodation Association industry body, said a rush into tighter restrictions could put livelihoods in York’s tourism trade at risk.
The petition states that while visitors are important for York’s economy, some short-term holiday let properties are in the wrong place including residential areas.
It states the amount of lets has reached unacceptably high levels, leading to problems for residents and pressure on York’s housing supply.
According to the petition, problems include noise and disruption from the coming and going of guests, large groups turning lets into party houses, extra waste and strains on parking.
It also claims residents are becoming increasingly isolated in areas with large amounts of holiday lets which change the character of communities and push house prices up to unaffordable levels.
The petition includes estimates from York Central MP Rachael Maskell putting the number of lets at more than 2,000, or between 2 and 3 per cent of the city’s properties.
Guildhall ward’s Cllr Tony Clarke said the huge growth in the amount of holiday lets was having a detrimental impact on York.
Cllr Clarke said: “It’s pushing rent prices and house prices up, and leading to an increase in noise, disturbance, and even crime.
“We want people to enjoy visiting our beautiful city, but not in a way that affects residents so badly.”
Cllr Melly said: “Communities are being hollowed out as more and more homes are turned into holiday accommodation, and the council are almost powerless to do anything about it.”
Cllr Merrett said: “We’ve started a petition calling in the government to introduce new regulations to control and manage the numbers of holiday lets and their operation, new legal powers are urgently needed.”
The launch of the petition follows the publication of Labour York Central MP Ms Maskell’s private members bill last week which would introduce new regulations for short-term holiday lets.
Properties would require a licence to operate as holiday lets and the industry would face stricter planning controls and rules around marketing if the MP’s proposals become law.
Ms Maskell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) licences would give councils more control over housing stock, with proposals drawn up following discussions with the industry and others.
Work on separate Government proposals to register holiday lets also remains ongoing.
Labour Tourism Minister Chris Bryant told Parliament in January the scheme, which was first drawn up by the previous Conservative Government, would be ready to launch soon.
Some properties in York and elsewhere require planning permission to be converted into holiday lets and owners and operators are also subject to rules which govern businesses and landlords.
But councils do not have the power to limit the overall number of lets locally or to designate areas where they are or are not allowed.
In response to the petition, Short-Term Accommodation CEO Mr Fenner said they backed called for a national registration system to get accurate data to inform decisions about the industry.
But he added more time was needed to develop regulations that strike the right balance between strong communities and a thriving visitor economy.
Mr Fenner said: “Short-term rentals are now an essential part of how people want to visit and experience York and they bring year-round investment into the city’s economy.
“But until a national registration scheme is fully in place and we’ve had time to properly review the evidence, we must avoid rushing into new restrictions or policies.
“Too much is at stake, people in York rely on tourism to pay their bills and support their families.”