A 2nd Qld council is cracking down on unapproved Airbnbs

However, any properties built after this date, specifically those located in low-density zones currently utilised as short-term accommodation, could be required to submit a Material Change of Use (MCU) or Development Approval (DA) application to the local council in order to seek approval to utilise the property as a holiday rental or short-term stay. In seeing this transition, Code Property recognised that these properties are “well-maintained, high-quality houses in areas that are seeing high rental demands and permanent tenants and therefore can achieve high rental yields”.

Sunshine Coast council’s approach to short-term holiday rentals is not isolated. Last year, the Brisbane council revealed it would “include a steep rate hike for property owners trying to make money off the short-term accommodation marketplace”.

Additionally, the council enforced 50 per cent higher rates for short-term rentals as opposed to those charged to their long-term counterparts.

Driving Brisbane council’s decision was incredibly low vacancy rates across the city and short-term rentals stripping further stock from the long-term rental market.

As part of its crackdown, the Sunshine Coast council is urging owners deliberating whether to convert their property into a short-term rental to contact its development department prior to establishing the dwelling as an Airbnb, as the requirements for short-term rentals differ depending on property location, zoning, and compliance.

According to SQM Research, the region’s residential vacancy rate concluded 2022 at 1 per cent as part of a rapid, pandemic-induced decline that saw the number of available properties plummet from 2.7 per cent in April 2020 as interstate migration to the Sunshine State drastically increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as residents in other states chased loose pandemic restrictions and a limited number of extended lockdowns.

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