Holiday Rental Code of Conduct

Justin Butterworth

Business Development Director, The Stayz Group Code Administration Committee, Member

Director, Holiday Rental Industry Association

Presentation overview

• LGSA 2007… presented complaints data

• Visitor Economy Report 2012

• Rationale for self regulation

• Holiday Rental Code of Conduct

• Council leadership and how to adopt the

Code

Visitor Economy Report

• Strategic objectives

– Increase visitation

– Grow capacity

– Improve visitor experience

– Increase visitor spend

• Targets

• Regulatory environment

Holiday rentals – the issues

Significant benefits but…

• Residential amenity

• Fire/Disability access

• Consumer risks

• Affordability

• Tourism quality

• Unfair ‘playing field’

• Long term investment

• Demand on services

Gosford, Kiama,

Sydney, Byron Bay,

Manly, Bondi, Blue

Mountains,

Cessnock,

Hornsby…

Gold Coast,

Sunshine Coast,

Noosa…

Bass Coast,

Surf Coast

Innovation – self regulation

• Best practice guidelines REINSW (2009)

• Industry best practice guidelines (2010)

• Holiday Rental Code of Conduct (2012)

Self regulation

Legislation/Ban Laissez-Faire

Code – consultation process

• Owners, Agents (2000+ surveyed, 24 months)

• REINSW, HLO Byron and HLO Gosford

• Department of Planning, Destination NSW

• Local Government Shire Association NSW

• ACCC

• Holiday Rental Group (QLD)

• VicShort Stay Industry Group (Vic)

Code of Conduct - Overview

• Objectives

• Parts

– Participating Organizations

– Obligations of Managers

– Terms and Conditions

– House Rules

House Rules

Guest

T&Cs

Code

Code of Conduct - Overview

• Maximum adults

• Functions and parties

• Access and parking

• Recycling and garbage

• Complaints handling

House Rules

Guest

T&Cs

Code

Stayz – market leadership

Ministerial Support in NSW

You would be aware the short term rental

of houses and apartments to holiday

makers results in significant tourism and

economic benefits to local areas and the

State as a whole. The short term use of a

dwelling as a holiday rental is a long

established practice that generally occurs

without incident across the State.

Hon. Min Brad Hazzard

Minister for Planning and

Infrastructure, NSW

Code – Wide support

Code Administration Committee

• Responsibility of the CAC:

– Code Administration

– Participating Organisations (applications,

cessations)

– Refinements to the Code

– Reporting to stakeholders

• Committee Members

• Meeting quarterly

• Key aspect to self regulation

• Monitoring and review

Complaints process

Innovative - self regulation

• Standard LEP is ambiguous

• Litigation: wasteful

• Code is a practical tool

Leadership - Awareness

• Letterbox Distribution

• Conditions of Consent

Code - Council leadership

• Review the Code

• Discuss with operators, CAC

• Promote the Code

• VICs register as PO

• Communicate with residents

• Code part of planning framework tool kit

• Living document – opportunity for input

Thank you

stayz.com.au/holiday-rental-code-of-conduct

Justin Butterworth Business Development Director, The Stayz Group

Code Administration Committee, Member Director, Holiday Rental Industry Association

jbutterworth@fairfaxmedia.com.au