UKH calls on Gov to introduce tourist accommodation registration scheme

UKHospitality has urged the Government to introduce a check-based tourist accommodation scheme, to help create a “level playing field” for all accommodation providers.

In its submission to the recent consultation on short term lets registration (for England), UKHospitality highlights that the introduction of a registration scheme for all short-term let properties would build a “fairer, safer and more sustainable industry”.

UKH said that with the growth of the digital economy, under the current scheme some sites can unfairly benefit from a lack of regulation and a reduced tax burden. Meanwhile, the wider hospitality sector is “over-burdened” by regulation and taxes at the same time as it struggles to recover from the ravages of the pandemic.

It added that implementing a registration scheme for all would have other benefits too, such as ensuring all short-let accommodation was safe for consumers and would help to address the imbalance between short- and long-term rentals in communities such as rural and coastal towns, and tourism hot spots.

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality, said: “UKHospitality recognises and welcomes competition and a varied range of business models in the accommodation sector. However, at present there simply isn’t a level playing field across accommodation providers.

“There is a real lack of transparency around where short-term letting properties are located, how they operate and who operates them. A registration scheme, with the ability to check and enforce compliance of rules and regulations already being followed by other accommodation businesses, would fundamentally address the issue of transparency.”

She added: “We also believe that such a scheme will help to eradicate the issues currently facing certain areas of the UK where there is an imbalance in long and short-term accommodation available and will therefore go some way to building a more sustainable tourism industry in the UK.”