Bath Federation of Small Businesses chief on HMOs: 'Whole system is unfair'

Read article : Bath Federation of Small Businesses chief on HMOs: 'Whole system is unfair'

The chairwoman of the city’s Federation of Small Businesses has given her views on houses let via Airbnb and other unregulated rentable properties.

Angela MacAusland said: “They’re taking business away from independent guesthouses and not paying business rates because a lot of them are Airbnb, which is unfair.

“There’s a bigger picture in play here.

“When you talk about business rates there’s HMOs (houses of multiple occupancy). They’re not liable for business rates at all, and the party houses are essentially HMOs that are rented out at weekends rather than long-term lets.

“There’s quite a lot of party houses in Bath that are springing up.

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Party houses

“There’s a lot of student accommodation and it’s obviously more affordable for the person who owns that property [to house students there].”

She echoed what Bath MP Wera Hobhouse and Councillor Bob Goodman said in that a change in the law may be needed.

“The whole system is unfair. It’s not just in Bath. Legislation would have to change,” Ms MacAusland said.

“But the reason why it’s not more noticeable in Bath is because there’s houses that are in the same street as independent guest houses and hotels and it’s taking business away from those places.”

What can be done?

“It’s a national thing but locally [a possible answer] is not to permit planning permission or change of use permission for those places,” Ms MacAusland said.

“B&NES Council planning department do have the power to refuse change of use applications.

“When there are multiple houses that are party houses, it’s having an effect on the residents who are having to live, on weekends and during the week, with people who are there to party.”