Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of introducing a two-week timeframe for companies and individuals that offer properties for short-term let to respond to enquiries from the local council.

While short-term lets can benefit local economies, the government appreciates that excessive concentrations in some areas of the country can impact on the availability and affordability of homes to buy and rent, as well as having a detrimental impact on local services.

That is why we remain committed to introducing a national mandatory registration scheme for short-term lets, which will give local authorities access to valuable data to help address housing impacts and to protect the spirit of our communities. Public testing on the register is due to start in September. This means that we are on track to launch a full version of the scheme by next year. From April 2025, the furnished holiday lettings tax regime was abolished, eliminating the tax advantages that short-term let owners had over private rented sector landlords.

We are considering what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by short-term lets.