Threat to short term rentals in Melbourne
Last week the Victorian state government announced the appointment of a seven-person expert panel to look at short-term rentals in Melbourne’s serviced apartments following large numbers of complaints about noisy and violent parties being thrown by tourists renting out CBD units.
The findings of the independent review that could result in a ban on serviced apartments in residential towers. A number of disputes between short-stay operators and apartment owners have recently led to expensive court cases.
The panel will be led by Simon Libbis, an expert in owners corporation governance.
Docklands Community Association president Roger Gardner, who will sit on the panel, said he hoped short-term serviced apartments would be outlawed in residential apartment buildings.
Melbourne City Council planning chair Ken Ong said one solution was to force owners corporations in new apartment buildings to ban rentals shorter than one month.
Airbnb has 5000 property listings in Melbourne for next month, a two-fold increase since last year.
Minister for consumer affairs, gaming and liquor regulation Jane Garrett said she was open to considering a range of possible reforms once she had received the panel report, including changes to the Owners Corporation Act.
