:
UK: Airbnb is sharing listing data with local authorities across England as part of a government-backed initiative to identify the illegal short-term letting of social housing.
The programme, coordinated by the Cabinet Office’s Public Sector Fraud Authority, enables participating councils to cross-reference social housing records with Airbnb listings in an effort to detect tenancy fraud.
According to the government, early results have identified around 470 suspected cases of social housing fraud across participating local authorities. Offenders could face eviction, financial penalties and prison sentences of up to two years.
The Tenancy Fraud Forum estimates that nearly 6,000 social homes across England may be illegally sublet through short-term rental platforms, including around 1,000 in London, although the figures include estimates rather than confirmed cases.
Under the initiative, local authorities including Westminster City Council, Birmingham City Council, Edinburgh City Council and Anglesey Council will work with Airbnb to investigate suspected illegal listings. Properties confirmed to be operating without permission will be removed from the platform.
Lisa Marçais, Airbnb’s public policy lead, said: “Social housing fraud has no place on Airbnb. We’re proud to have driven the first-ever data-sharing agreement of this kind in partnership with the Cabinet Office and local authorities across the country, but to truly tackle this problem we need the entire short-term rental industry to follow suit.”
David Harvey, Westminster City Council’s cabinet member for housing services, said the borough believes around 3,000 of its 13,000 Airbnb listings may be operating illegally, with some suspected to be social housing.
The Cabinet Office estimates that each case of social housing fraud costs taxpayers an average of £78,300 through temporary accommodation costs, legal action and lost rental income.
Campaign group Social Housing Action Campaign welcomed efforts to tackle fraud but argued that illegal short-term lets represent only a small proportion of the wider housing shortage.
Highlights
- Airbnb has begun sharing listing data with UK councils to identify illegal social housing sublets.
- Around 470 suspected cases have been identified through the programme so far.
- The Tenancy Fraud Forum estimates nearly 6,000 social homes may be illegally sublet via short-term rental platforms.
- Confirmed illegal listings will be removed from Airbnb.
- The initiative forms part of wider efforts to improve oversight of the short-term rental sector.
