Council inundated with late surge of short-stay applications

Council staff are working through the late surge of short-stay and home-hosted accommodation applications from property owners making the most of waived fees. 

Council received more than 1200 applications for short-stay letting approval in the two weeks before the waived fee period ended on June 30.

Council’s Development Assessment Manager, Kerri Coyle, said more than 1200 applications were received in the two weeks before the waived fee period ended on June 30.

“We ask property owners to be assured that we are busy assessing applications, and we will be in touch as soon as possible,” Ms Coyle said.

Noosa’s new Short-Stay Local Law, which came into effect in February, requires short-stay and home-hosted accommodation property owners to lodge an application for using residential properties as short-term or home-hosted accommodation premises.

Council waived the one-off application fee between February this year when the local law was introduced, and June 30, to assist short-stay property owners with the transition to the new arrangements.

Ms Coyle said staff had received close to 2500 applications in total, almost half of which were lodged in the week before June 30. Just under 1000 have been assessed so far.

“We’ll be writing to property owners, real estate agents and holiday letting agents to advise that processing of the applications will take time due to the volume recently received.”

Ms Coyle said the short-stay 24-hour hotline, established as part of the new local law so residents could report issues with neighbouring short-stay properties, was up and running and all complaints were investigated. The number is (07) 5329 6466.

“It’s one of numerous initiatives introduced under the local law - a response to calls from the community to ensure short-stay property owners are being good neighbours and dealing with issues as they arise, and to protect residential amenity.”

The new local law introduces a code of conduct for guest behaviour and minimum safety standards for short-term-let properties to protect guests, while owners must also nominate a contact person to swiftly resolve complaints about noise and other issues.

Council has deferred annual renewal fees for short-stay properties pending a 12-month review of the local law.

For more information, visit Council's website.