The government’s plans to introduce a registration scheme for short-term holiday lets has been warmly welcomed by the UK Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA).

The STAA has long supported the registration scheme, and hopes that it will prove simple for owners to register with, straightforward for authorities to administer and low cost to run.

A report published last week by Oxford Economics, found that short-term holiday lets benefit communities across the UK driving spending to the tune of £27.7bn in 2021, providing around half a million jobs and supporting local businesses.

Andy Fenner, CEO of the STAA, said: “Holiday lets represent a tiny proportion of the total housing market yet provide vital flexible jobs and investment in our communities. The STAA wants the highest standards across our industry and clear, easy-to-use registration helps us achieve that. We have worked closely with the government’s tourism officials to help develop this  registration scheme and are very pleased that it has been announced.”

STAA chair, Merilee Karr added: “It’s critical that any scheme that is introduced is simple and low cost for hosts to register with and straightforward for authorities to run. It must also take into account the benefits that the short-term holiday lets industry brings to local communities and support owners who rent out properties that would otherwise sit empty. Any new regulatory solution should recognise our industry as an important part of the wider UK tourism proposition, which means we need a solution that gets the balance right.”