Properties available to rent for short-term holidays currently exceed the number available to let for the long-term, according to an analysis of websites offering accommodation in Dublin.
The figures show there are 1,748 apartments or houses available for holiday lettings in the capital on the Airbnb website.
If other agencies, such as Booking.com or the Key Collection are included, the overall number exceeds 2,000.
There are 1,276 residential listings for Dublin on Rent.ie compared to more than 5,000 apartments or houses available for long-term letting in the city between 2008 and 2012.
Planning permission is required to rezone residential property as commercial property.
An analysis undertaken by InsideAirbnb.com shows that 73 per cent of the holiday lets advertised on the Airbnb website are available for more than 90 days a year.
The Temple Bar Residents Association said the figures “suggest the majority of these premises are operating as commercial concerns”.
Data compiled by InsideAirbnb.com shows most apartment owners are charging at least €120 per night, while entire houses are being let for up to €600 per night.
High rents
Sinn Féin councillor Daithi Doolan, who is the chairman of the council’s housing committee, said the issue was contributing to high rents and a lack of suitable accommodation in the city.
“Any move taking units out of the rental market affects supply and affects the price of rent, and as such must be strictly managed,” he said.
He added the matter could be addressed in the Dublin City Development Plan “to ensure that as many properties as possible are available in the rental market”.
The residents association said it was aware of cases where tenants had been forced out by large rent increases before the apartments involved were then let out via Airbnb, Booking.com or similar sites.
In a statement, Airbnb said its hosts were “regular people who share their homes and use the money they earn to pay the bills”.
“They aren’t taking housing off the market - the typical host in the Ireland earns an additional €2,600 by sharing space in their home for 46 nights a year,” it said.
“Airbnb helps grow and diversify tourism in Ireland, helps countless people stay in their homes, and provides an economic boost to communities and local businesses across the country.”
