The Irish Times view on short-term rentals: Council nails its colours to the mast

There has been much grumbling that Dublin's landlords are showing contempt for the legislation, introduced last July, restricting the use of homes for "Airbnb-style" holiday accommodation. With only 16 planning applications made to Dublin City Council to legitimise the use of apartments for short-term lets, while thousands of homes in the city are advertised on the Airbnb platform alone, it would be hard to argue against this view.

The law requires owners of properties in rent pressure zones to secure planning permission to operate short-term lets for more than three months every year. Homeowners who want to rent out a room, or rent their entire home for less than three months, do not need planning permission but must register with their local authority. However, few owners in this category seem to be paying attention to the law either.

The rules were brought in to increase the number of properties available for general rental, particularly in Dublin. Since the legislation was introduced the city council has not granted planning permission for any short-term rentals. Of the 16 applications made, eight have been refused, two applications declared invalid, three withdrawn by the applicant, and three are still awaiting decision by the council. The council has cited broadly similar grounds for each refusal, referring to the need to preserve “residential units as a scarce resource” and the danger of creating an “unwanted precedent” if permission was granted.

It has become clear, through these refusals, that the council is not disposed towards granting permission for holiday flats in the city. However, in a report to councillors last week, the planning department decided to be more explicit, stating it was “the policy” of the council to refuse planning permission “for any development which would result in the loss of permanent residential units”.