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- 🏠Tourism tax - What’s happening?
🏠Tourism tax - What’s happening?
And treat your property to a new house sign!
Phil Jackson
December 21, 2024
đź‘‹ Welcome to this weeks newsletter. A slightly shorter edition this week however still full of value as you continue your short term rental journey.
Next weeks newsletter will be a bit different - Highlighting some of the most popular resources we have shared through 2024 - Especially useful to you if you have joined our journey recently or as you consider what you might change as we move into 🎇 2025!
See you next Saturday at 5pm?
Phil
Founder, My Holiday Guide
IN THE NEWS
Airbnb New Years Eve Crackdown
Airbnb is cracking down on New Year's Eve parties again by using "anti-party technology" to identify and block potentially disruptive bookings. The company's machine learning system analyses factors like trip length, booking timing, and distance from the guest's location to determine high-risk reservations. Airbnb claims this technology helped prevent 74,000 parties globally in 2023.
Tourism Tax - What’s The Current Position?
A recent article highlighted the plan for York to introduce a tourism tax; but what’s the overall position of government and local councils implementing such a policy?
As of December 2024, no UK councils have fully implemented a tourist tax for visitors. However, several areas are in various stages of planning or implementing such levies:
Scotland: Edinburgh is set to introduce a mandatory levy in July 2026, becoming the first UK city to do so.
Wales: The Welsh government plans to introduce legislation allowing local authorities to implement a visitor levy of up to ÂŁ1.25 per night, with the earliest implementation date being April 2027.
England: Currently, local councils do not have the power to introduce a tourist tax without primary legislation. However, Manchester and Liverpool have introduced a form of tourism levy through a legal workaround:
Manchester implemented an 'accommodation Business Improvement District (BID)' from April 1, 2023, which functions similarly to a tourist tax.
Liverpool has also introduced a tourism-based BID as of April 1, 2023.
While these BIDs are not officially tourist taxes, they serve a similar purpose by collecting additional fees from accommodation providers based on occupancy.
According to this article, plans to spend a big chunk of Edinburgh’s proposed tourist tax on building new homes are contrary to the purpose of the levy as set out in legislation, business leaders have claimed.
EPC Changes - What’s Proposed?
The Government has published a consultation on Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) Regime across England and Wales which closes on 26 February 2025.
The proposed changes will also impact STRs so is worth taking note of. This article highlights some of the proposed changes.
FEATURED RESOURCE
Highlighting useful tools and resources for your holiday let.
Property Monitoring from Minut
Minut is a Swedish company that offers a smart home monitoring solution specifically designed for short-term rental (STR) properties. Its device provides real-time, privacy-safe insights into property conditions, helping rental owners manage and protect their properties efficiently.
Key Benefits of Minut for Short-Term Rental Owners
Noise and Occupancy Monitoring: Detects excessive noise and unauthorised guests to prevent disturbances and property damage.
Cigarette Smoke Detection: Alerts owners to indoor smoking, helping maintain property condition.
Environmental Monitoring: Tracks temperature and humidity to ensure guest comfort and prevent mold.
Automated Guest Communication: Sends automated messages to guests about property rules and issues, saving time for hosts.
Regulation Compliance: Helps owners adhere to local STR laws by logging noise data.
Enhanced Security: Monitors for motion and alarms, providing peace of mind for remote property management.
Privacy-Safe Design: Ensures guest privacy by not recording conversations or sharing personal data.
IN THE DIRECTORY
Branded Signs & Key Rings
Treat your property this Christmas with a new house sign or branded key rings. We have a few different types and options available within our resources directory.
PROPERTIES OF THE NEWSLETTER
We all love looking at and getting inspiration from other properties so here’s our top pick for this edition.
NO FOMO
Missed last weeks newsletter? Here’s one thing you might like.
Industry Trends & Tips to Start the New Year Off Right
In last weeks newsletter we delved into some tips including:
Pro-active Pricing Management
Tactics To Increase Repeat Bookings
Creating An Enticing Pre-Stay Email Sequence
Creating Tailored Packages For Guests
You can read the full article below: