Call for crackdown on short-term rental sites like Airbnb

New Zealand apartment owners want tougher rules for short-stay rental companies such as Airbnb following reports of theft, damage to property and overcrowding.

Strata Community Organisation NZ (SCANZ), which represents Kiwi apartment owners, said issues need to be addressed before the predicted short-term letting explosion during the Lions Tour causes a “monumental holiday headache”.

SCANZ president Joanne Barreto said many tenants in popular Airbnb buildings are fed up with short-stay tenants partying late into the night, blocking lifts and overcrowding apartments. Tougher regulation is required to protect communities affected by short-stay accommodation.