The Penang State Exco for Tourism Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage (PETACH) office is studying how other cities around the world are handling their Airbnb issues, on the back of efforts to determine if the home-sharing business may be regulated or legalised in Penang.
In fact, the office is currently reviewing their policies to address the problem of residential property owners renting out their units in a manner similar to a serviced apartment or a hotel, reported The Star.
Exco member Yeoh Soon Hin noted that the home-sharing business has gained footing in Penang such that when people purchase a condominium unit or a house, someone will probably approach them and offer to help them sign up with Airbnb and create extra income.
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Meanwhile, he revealed that Airbnb management has expressed willingness to cooperate and register their units in Penang.
With this, Yeoh lamented the absence of local laws or policies covering such registration.
“We raised the issue and were told that the Housing and Local Government Ministry and the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry are studying possible laws on this,” he stated.
In responding to Daniel Gooi Zi Sen’s (PH-Pengkalan Kota) query, Yeoh cited examples of Airbnb regulations in other countries.
“In Catalonia, Spain, Airbnb operators can be fined up to 30,000 Euros (RM140,000) and the unit owners fined up to 90,000 Euros (RM420,000) if there are complaints.”
“In Singapore, the Urban Redevelopment Authority is proposing to limit Airbnb units to only allow up to six people each time to rent them and for only up to 90 days a year. For strata units, Singapore plans to allow it only if at least 80 percent of all unit owners in the building give consent.”
Gooi has expressed concern over the large number of units in Penang that are being listed in Airbnb, despite the Penang Island City Council’s strong enforcement since 2017 to prevent residential owners from using their properties commercially.
Yeoh believes that the business is unfair to neighbours, local authorities and the hotel industry.
“They are paying assessments and utility rates for residential units but are using those units commercially while legal hotels that comply with all laws such as safety and traffic provisions pay much more.”
He added that his team is considering proposing that once Airbnb operators have been legalised, they should be charged with triple or double the current residential assessment rates being imposed.
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