London’s housing crisis is about to get even worse. Private landlords are cashing in on Airbnb, causing more housing misery for the rest of us.
New research exposes huge numbers of rental properties becoming ‘holiday lets’ on Airbnb. That’s depleting the housing supply, and sending prices skyrocketing for all Londoners.
But we’ve got a chance to restrict the abuse. When Sadiq Khan wanted our votes, he promised to finally tackle London’s housing crisis. Now he’s Mayor, he can’t be happy that it's getting worse.
We need to get Sadiq’s attention with a huge petition before he’ll take action. Ask Sadiq to monitor and control long Airbnb lets, so that landlords can’t cash in while the housing crisis gets worse and worse.
Airbnb is meant for ordinary people to make some cash on the side. But now huge numbers of adverts are for whole houses, empty for more than three months a year, and from people with multiple properties. Landlords are abusing the site, and taking the rest of us for a ride.
But regulation can work. Just this year, Berlin's city government clamped down on advertising whole properties. And SumOfUs members have challenged Airbnb before — 150,000 of us spoke out against listings in illegal Israeli settlements.
Sadiq knows Londoners are watching what he does carefully, and he’ll want to look like he’s doing the right thing on housing. This should be an quick win for Sadiq, but first he needs to hear from enough of us.
Add your name to our petition to Sadiq to crack down on landlords abusing Airbnb by monitoring and controlling long lets.
More information
Buy-to-let landlords turn to Airbnb to boost profits, report claims
This is Money. 2 September 2016.
This is Money. 2 September 2016.
Airbnb accused of 'pushing rents up' as landlords swap long-term leases for short-term deals
The Telegraph. 2 September 2016.
The Telegraph. 2 September 2016.
Fewer homes for rent, as landlords move flats onto Airbnb
BBC. 2 September 2016.
BBC. 2 September 2016.
Is Airbnb compounding the housing crisis?
Residential Landlords Association. 1 September 2016.
Residential Landlords Association. 1 September 2016.