Camden attracts 100,000 visitors every weekend, many of whom book local accommodation.
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A new report from Camden Council has revealed thousands of properties registered as residential homes are being let out on online platforms for more than 90 nights a year, breaking London’s laws.
City News surveyed the impact of booming short term lets on independent hotels in the borough, who say they aren’t surprised by the rise in rule-breaking to boost profits.
The figures come amidst a city-wide housing crisis, where landlords can often earn more through short-term lets to tourists rather than monthly rests to locals looking for a home.
Rule-breaking lets on the rise
In all London boroughs, properties registered as residential can only be let out to visitors for a maximum of 90 days a year.
In order to extend this owners have to apply for planning permission from Camden Council. They say their current policy is to “resist” giving permission due to the risk of disturbing neighbours, reducing a sense of community, and concerns about crime.
However a report released this week found around 5,000 properties in Camden alone are breaking the rules by letting out rooms on platforms like AirBnB, Expedia and Booking.com for more than the nightly limit.
AirBnB lists over 1,000 properties in the Camden Borough. Although prices vary, one single bedroom flat near the market is available for £409 a night.
Footfall in Camden Town is up 7% since 2019, according to LabTech. Credit-Alex Parnham-Cope
Impact on independent hotels
Tourism is a cornerstone of Camden’s local economy, with visitors flocking to experience the iconic market, lock, and culture.
Tourists account for 97% of the hotel trade’s customers in the borough, meaning that a move towards online platform-based renting could threaten independent businesses.
Lorenzo Stella owns and manages the La Gaffe hotel in Hampstead. During his years working for the family-run business, he’s seen a “huge rise in the number of Air BnBs”, including several on his street. His neighbours have complained about the noise levels and disruption caused by tourists staying there.
Lorenzo says his business has recovered well from the pandemic and is benefitting from high tourism. However overall the sector has been “targeted” by platforms like AirBnB, which he says are one of many factors causing them to struggle at the moment.
While he thinks short-terms lets are “not particularly ethical”, he says he’s not surprised by a rise in rule breaking to extend them.
In his view property owners are facing rising bills and interest rates on mortgages, and so short term let arrangements may be becoming more popular as owners attempt to cover the costs of maintain their property.
Martin manages Dawson House Hotel in Swiss Cottage on behalf of his family, and shares Lorenzo’s mixed feelings about the risk posed by short term lets.
While it’s hard to quantify the loss of business to short-term lets, Martin says it “must have had an impact” compared to how busy Dawson’s House was decades ago when it was managed by his grandparents.
He is also unsurprised by the reports of rule breaking, but says customers still come to traditional hotels because they can trust the services offered.
La Gaffe manager Lorenzo Stella says AirBnB has created new competition for his business. Credit-Alex Parnham-Cope
AirBnB says they aren’t to blame for rule-breakers
They are one of the biggest platforms for short term lets, hosting more than 80,000 properties in London alone. But AirBnB say they are the only short-term letting service that limits residential hosts from renting rooms out in line with the law.
Speaking to City News, AirBnB said the average listing through their site in London is for 43 nights a year.
In a statement, they added they “have enforced restrictions on short-term lets in London for more than 5 years. We have also long called for national regulations to be introduced and look forward to an update on the Government’s consultations in due course.”
Camden Market now hosts over 650 independent traders. Credit-Alex Parnham-Cope
Tackling accommodation in Camden
Where properties have been let out too long without permission it’s the job of the council to take enforcement action. However monitoring and enforcing socially responsible lets is challenging in practice.
The new Camden report used data scraping technology to identify properties let for over the allowed period, for example being hosted on multiple sites.
However AirBnB have warned that “scraped data is not an accurate reflection of activity”. Other home sharing platforms including Expedia and Booking.Com have been reached for comment but not yet responded.
In order to assess and tackle the issue, Camden council has called on central government to create new regulations and introduce a licencing system.
A government consultation into short term lets was held in August and is due to publish its proposals for a new scheme starting in 2024.
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Headline‘Rule-breaking’ short-term lets challenge Camden’s hotel trade
Short Headline'Rule-breaking' short-term lets challenge Camden’s hotels
StandfirstNew figures from Camden Council say 5,000 homes are letting out rooms for longer than the nightly limit.
A new report from Camden Council has revealed thousands of properties registered as residential homes are being let out on online platforms for more than 90 nights a year, breaking London’s laws.
City News surveyed the impact of booming short term lets on independent hotels in the borough, who say they aren’t surprised by the rise in rule-breaking to boost profits.
The figures come amidst a city-wide housing crisis, where landlords can often earn more through short-term lets to tourists rather than monthly rests to locals looking for a home.
Rule-breaking lets on the rise
In all London boroughs, properties registered as residential can only be let out to visitors for a maximum of 90 days a year.
In order to extend this owners have to apply for planning permission from Camden Council. They say their current policy is to “resist” giving permission due to the risk of disturbing neighbours, reducing a sense of community, and concerns about crime.
However a report released this week found around 5,000 properties in Camden alone are breaking the rules by letting out rooms on platforms like AirBnB, Expedia and Booking.com for more than the nightly limit.
AirBnB lists over 1,000 properties in the Camden Borough. Although prices vary, one single bedroom flat near the market is available for £409 a night.
Footfall in Camden Town is up 7% since 2019, according to LabTech. Credit-Alex Parnham-Cope
Impact on independent hotels
Tourism is a cornerstone of Camden’s local economy, with visitors flocking to experience the iconic market, lock, and culture.
Tourists account for 97% of the hotel trade’s customers in the borough, meaning that a move towards online platform-based renting could threaten independent businesses.
Lorenzo Stella owns and manages the La Gaffe hotel in Hampstead. During his years working for the family-run business, he’s seen a “huge rise in the number of Air BnBs”, including several on his street. His neighbours have complained about the noise levels and disruption caused by tourists staying there.
Lorenzo says his business has recovered well from the pandemic and is benefitting from high tourism. However overall the sector has been “targeted” by platforms like AirBnB, which he says are one of many factors causing them to struggle at the moment.
While he thinks short-terms lets are “not particularly ethical”, he says he’s not surprised by a rise in rule breaking to extend them.
In his view property owners are facing rising bills and interest rates on mortgages, and so short term let arrangements may be becoming more popular as owners attempt to cover the costs of maintain their property.
Martin manages Dawson House Hotel in Swiss Cottage on behalf of his family, and shares Lorenzo’s mixed feelings about the risk posed by short term lets.
While it’s hard to quantify the loss of business to short-term lets, Martin says it “must have had an impact” compared to how busy Dawson’s House was decades ago when it was managed by his grandparents.
He is also unsurprised by the reports of rule breaking, but says customers still come to traditional hotels because they can trust the services offered.
La Gaffe manager Lorenzo Stella says AirBnB has created new competition for his business. Credit-Alex Parnham-Cope
AirBnB says they aren’t to blame for rule-breakers
They are one of the biggest platforms for short term lets, hosting more than 80,000 properties in London alone. But AirBnB say they are the only short-term letting service that limits residential hosts from renting rooms out in line with the law.
Speaking to City News, AirBnB said the average listing through their site in London is for 43 nights a year.
In a statement, they added they “have enforced restrictions on short-term lets in London for more than 5 years. We have also long called for national regulations to be introduced and look forward to an update on the Government’s consultations in due course.”
Camden Market now hosts over 650 independent traders. Credit-Alex Parnham-Cope
Tackling accommodation in Camden
Where properties have been let out too long without permission it’s the job of the council to take enforcement action. However monitoring and enforcing socially responsible lets is challenging in practice.
The new Camden report used data scraping technology to identify properties let for over the allowed period, for example being hosted on multiple sites.
However AirBnB have warned that “scraped data is not an accurate reflection of activity”. Other home sharing platforms including Expedia and Booking.Com have been reached for comment but not yet responded.
In order to assess and tackle the issue, Camden council has called on central government to create new regulations and introduce a licencing system.
A government consultation into short term lets was held in August and is due to publish its proposals for a new scheme starting in 2024.
