HOLIDAY RENTALS UPSET NEIGHBOURS

I have one next to me and there were 20 people staying in the house at once

A KIAMA resident has expressed his concern at the legality of the short-term rental propertys popping up across the municipality.

Kiama Heights resident Bruce Wilken believes Kiama council is doing local residents a disservice by allowing people to let their residential property out to holiday makers.

In allowing the provision of short-term accommodation, Mr Wilken believes council is letting business be taken away from the towns caravan parks while failing to look after the needs of local residents.

At the moment council is just letting anyone and everyone rent out their property for their own profit, he said.

There are a number of issues involved as far as I can see. These properties are not subject to any of the restrictions a proper commercial hotel would be. These people are not subject to any guidelines or anything.

I have one next to me and there were 20 people staying in the house at once. I am positive there were people sleeping on the garage floor.

These people are setting up a hotel in their house without having to undergo health inspection checks or anything.

With scores of people squashing into residential short-term rentals over Christmas, Mr Wilken believes it is the local residents who are forced to pay the price as holidaymakers park all over the kerb and create huge levels of noise.

Somewhere like the Grand Hotel is forced to provide parking for their guests as well as pay commercial rates.

This is exactly what these people should be doing it is basically a tax dodge, he said. These people are living in Sydney and putting their house for rent over the net without having a clue what is happening down here.

Kiama Tourism put out a brochure with all the local accommodation down here and they listed 54 short term rentals.

There are two more just in my street which werent on the list so you can just imagine how many there are all up. It really is a concern.

Coming out in support of the regions burgeoning short -term rental market, Kiama Tourism Manager Nicole Smithers said self -contained properties provided tourists with real variety when deciding where to stay.

We really support it. We need it, she said.

There are some absolutely beautiful places in Gerroa and Kiama Downs, lovely beach front getaways that really add something different to the local area.

These are something we have got to have. We obviously have a lot of members who have self-contained properties and what they are doing is adding a real variety to local accommodation.

Often the people that use these facilities are the ones who are going to stay a week or more so it is definitely a good thing.

Kiama Council is developing a short-term accommodation policy in conjunction with the LEP review, which will be available for public comment early in the New Year.