It isn't surprising that Australians are interested in sharing their space with travellers. With rising living costs and growing mortgages, they need the extra cash.
But short-term renting has been facing headwinds, depending on the sort of property and its location. “It is tougher for my property now than pre-Covid,” says Isabella, a 68-year-old retiree who has an investment property in the Sydney suburb of Randwick. The NSW government has cut the days she can rent out her Airbnb from 365 to 180.
Government-imposed caps on the number of days a property can be rented, steeper council rates and increased competition from hotels are some of the challenges for hosts. Some short-term rental markets are saturated as more properties are listed. Fees from portals such as Airbnb have increased for guests. Then there are unpopular cleaning fees that an increasing number of Airbnb hosts charge.
Short-term rentals are being blamed for lack of affordable housing in tourist hotspots and even big cities. “Short-term rental
