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Coastal Banksia
HLO Central Coast
HOLIDAY  LETTING
ORGANISATION
RELAX-ENJOY-RESPECT
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No holiday when tourists invade island homes
•Elicia Murray Urban Affairs Reporter
•March 21, 2009 Sydney Morning Herald

"We don't make a profit off this property'' ...Kim Dutton says plans to crack down on rental properties could force her to sell her Dangar Island cottage Photo: Steven Siewert
TRANQUILITY is so highly prized on Dangar Island that residents use wheelbarrows, not cars, to transport their goods from the wharf to their homes.
But trouble is brewing on the Hawkesbury over plans to restrict the use of holiday houses, which have been a source of income for owners and frustration to some permanent residents for years.
Hornsby Shire Council is considering a proposal to end the unregulated use of houses for short-term holiday rental by introducing development applications.
Guest numbers would be capped at six a house and owners would need to prove there was adequate parking at the house or nearby wharves.
Real estate agents and holiday home owners fear the strict rules may sound the death knell for holiday rentals in the council area, which includes Berowra Waters, Brooklyn, Milsons Passage and Wisemans Ferry.
Spearheading the reforms is a Greens councillor, Wendy McMurdo, who said there had been problems with holidaymakers leaving rubbish out and abusing residents who asked them to keep the noise down.
"I acknowledge there are some benefits from tourists, but what percentage of people does that benefit? Is it high enough to warrant the impost on the local population?" she said.
Harry Recher has lived on the island since 1969. Back then, his neighbours used to rent their boat house to the same group of friends every summer. "You got to know them. They understood the island. They understood how to behave," Mr Recher said.
Kim Dutton bought a cottage on the island with her business partner three years ago. They rent it out to tourists occasionally, but Ms Dutton said the changes could force them to sell.
"I think there's a mindset that the rental property pays for itself. We don't make a profit off this property," she said.
In response to complaints from residents, real estate agents introduced a cap on guest numbers and a 24-hour caretaker. An estimated 50 homes in the council area are regularly leased to tourists. Others are rented privately.
At Byron Bay, there is a proposal to define holiday letting precincts and charge holiday house owners a levy. On the South Coast, some councils have developed voluntary guidelines.
The chairman of Hornsby council's Employment and Economic Development Taskforce, Steve Russell, said parking was a problem for the council, not owners, and development applications would not control troublemakers.
A Department of Planning spokesman said it was considering measures to establish a consistent approach.

January 2009 Central Coast Express
Bad guests blacklisted
Daily Telegraph
Article from: 
By Lillian Saleh
January 30, 2007 12:00am

IT is the website which names and shames nightmare guests.
Hotel operators and accommodation providers are hitting back at badly-behaved holidaymakers by compiling a blacklist of troublemakers.
The Guests Behaving Badly (GBB) database allows property owners to safe-guard their investments from damage while also guaranteeing visitors a peaceful stay, product manager Josh Ginty said.
Guests are warned by hotel staff that their behaviour will be monitored and, if found to be behaving badly, their details will be placed on the GBB website.
Property owners who are members can then look up the database and check if prospective holidaymakers have been reported for bad behaviour.
"Bad behaviour by guests can have an immediate cost in terms of damage to property, but the hidden cost is loss of business from other affected guests,'' Mr Ginty said.
"What this does is create a proactive tool for the industry whether that be a bed and breakfast or holiday letting.
"It enables the provider of that accommodation to see if their prospective guests have a history of anti-social behaviour.''

Mr Ginty said more than 1000 holiday property providers nationally have already joined the database - which rolled out over the Christmas holiday season.

Mark Fisher, who runs Wollongong's The Normandie motel with wife Michelle, joined GBB just prior to Christmas.
"Every motel or accommodation provider will have their horror story but this is something that we actively promote in the motel and it is working well,'' Mr Fisher said.
"We have a lot of corporate stays and it just gives that extra bit of comfort and reassurance to our guests that they know they can come here and go to sleep.
"Since we've put this in more people are considerate about their behaviour,'' he said.
Last month The Daily Telegraph reported the future of rental holiday homes was being threatened by councils vowing to crack down on "renegade tourism operators''.
Hornsby Council wanted to ban 10 holiday home owners on exclusive Dangar Island from renting out their properties but caved in after a public backlash.
Byron Bay and Kiama Councils are considering banning short-term leasing to holiday-makers, while bans already exist in Sutherland, Manly, Randwick and City of Sydney council areas.

Mr Ginty said the GBB database would address any issues of anti-social behaviour

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Furnished Property Industry Association
GPO Box 4644, Sydney NSW 2001
www.fpia.asn.au
info@fpia.asn.au
The Secretary of the Committee
Standing Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations and Workforce Participation
House of Representatives
PO Box 6021
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
AUSTRALIA
25 August 2006
Dear Secretary,
Re: Inquiry into workforce challenges in the Australian tourism sector
Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission to this Inquiry on workforce challenges in the
Australian tourism sector.
In particular we would like to address the terms of reference relating to: Current and future
employment trends in the industry.
Summary & Recommendations
We are concerned about the employment prospects in the tourism sector as a result of recent moves
by local councils across Australia to ban short term rentals.
We urge the Standing Committee to:
1. recognise the contribution made to employment, national income, and the tourism industry by
short term rental properties including holiday homes and furnished apartments;
2. assess the economic impact on employment in regional areas from banning holiday rentals;
and
3. support employment in holiday rental areas by, referring this matter to the Hon Fran Bailey,
Minister for Tourism and Small Business, to develop a Code of Conduct to address local
council concerns.
The short term letting of furnished apartments is a distinct market that delivers considerable benefits to
Australia.
It should be supported in the interests of consumers, businesses, local communities and the workforce
that supports this tourism accommodation service.
Background
There are over 600,000 holiday homes in Australia and they’re a part of the great Australian family
holiday tradition. Since the 1880s, Australian families as well as Heads of State, have enjoyed the
comfort and affordability of holiday rental properties. Australians should continue to enjoy holiday
home accommodation.
Local councils across Australia from Sydney, Byron Bay through to Margaret River and other coastal
areas are moving to ban short term rentals. The rational for their bans are that short term rentals
cause disturbance to residents.
Furnished Property Industry Association
GPO Box 4644, Sydney NSW 2001
www.fpia.asn.au
info@fpia.asn.au
Allegations made by local Councils are unsubstantiated. In fact, data collected by the Furnished
Property Industry Association shows quite the opposite case.
During the calendar year 2005, out of 183,000 holiday properties in New South Wales, the Office of
Fair Trading received just 284 complaints relating to holiday rentals. Assuming an average letting of 1
week, this represents just 0.003% of 9.5 million letting weeks.
Only 91 complaints related to the quality of the property or presentation, the remainder were general
complaints relating to cancellations, billing or booking issues.
A similar study in Byron Bay shows 7 complaints in a 3 month period, just 0.1% of out of 6500 letting
weeks.
The truth about holiday rentals is that they provide significant economic and tourism benefits, yet
generate little, if any, negative impact.
Local councils have not conducted the necessary economic impact including the assessment of the
affect on employment in the region.
Local councils are placing this integral part of Australian culture and vital source of family
accommodation, and regional employment at risk.
The short term letting of furnished properties for short stays is a distinct market that delivers
considerable benefits to New South Wales. It should be supported in the interests of consumers,
businesses and local communities.
The Standing Committee should make recommendations necessary to protect the rights of short term
tenants, property owners, operators, as well as secure the economic future and employment for the
workforce in this vital accommodation sector.
About the Furnished Property Industry Association
FPIA is a membership based organisation established to represent the furnished property industry.
FPIA members include real estate agents, property managers, property owners and persons
providing goods and services to the industry.
The FPIA is an industry group representing over 5,000 furnished properties, including furnished
apartments and holiday homes. FPIA properties are not commercial serviced properties rather they
are rental properties available for short to long term rental.
Furnished properties have a well established tradition in New South Wales. Holiday homes and
furnished metropolitan apartments have been available to consumers since the mid 19th Century.
Data from Tourism NSW shows that there are around 183,000 furnished properties in NSW.
Sincerely,
Justin Butterworth
Chairman
FPIA