Councils welcome report's short stay permit calls

The call came as one of six made in a Legislative Council committee report into the short stay accommodation sector released Thursday.

Under the recommendation, local governments would be given the discretionary power to issue permits - and associated fees - for properties other than a principal place of residence.

The report also called for an "urgent review" of safety standards to close the gap between provider types, an extended state government data collection program and insurance requirements.

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Local Government Association of Tasmania president Christina Holmdahl welcomed the recommendations and said the ability to regulate the form of visitor accommodation, which includes popular platforms like Airbnb and Stayz, was something councils had sought for "some time".

"If the expansion of short stay accommodation in Tasmania is not monitored and controlled, it may negatively impact neighbours and reduce housing supply, ultimately impacting on affordability", Cr Holmdahl said.

Both Stayz and Airbnb have suggested the changes could impact the state's tourism sector. But at a time when housing supply and affordability is impacting many, the Tenants' Union of Tasmania expressed disappointment the recommendations did not go far enough.

"The easiest way to immediately increase supply is to regulate Airbnb by mandating that investment properties are used for long-term tenants rather than tourists," senior solicitor Ben Bartl said.

Shelter Tasmania, and the University of Tasmania's Richard Eccleston were also broadly supportive of the proposed changes.

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