Airbnb cracks down on dodgy landlords abusing its service

Airbnb said it is prepared to take on "bad actors" such as professional landlords who use the holiday lettings website to rent properties on a long-term basis.

The move comes after Mayor of London Sadiq Khan warned earlier this week that new legislation may be needed to ensure Airbnb does not worsen London's housing crisis.

Critics argue that professional landlords buy up properties to rent across the platform, restricting rental supply and driving up prices in the capital.

A meeting has been arranged between representatives of the Mayor, the London boroughs and Airbnb bosses to look at the problem.

In a letter to MPs on the Business, Innovation, and Skills (BIS) select committee last month Khan said he has "concerns" that Airbnb is exacerbating the housing crisis by reducing the stock of long-term rentals and that people living near the website's properties experience antisocial behaviour, such as noise and rubbish pollution.

Khan added that should London boroughs find that existing laws require to be "revisited" he "will be happy to work with them and discuss with government whether any changes may be needed".

A spokesperson for Airbnb said: "Home sharing helps thousands of regular Londoners afford one of the most expensive cities in the world.

"London has clear home-sharing rules and we are always investigating new ways to work with policymakers to make communities stronger and help tackle bad actors, who have no place on Airbnb."

Last year the government deregulated short-term rentals in the UK, meaning that people can rent out their house without asking for permission as long as it is for fewer than 90 nights in the year.

Several cities around the world – such as Barcelona, Berlin, and Paris – have already taken action to curb the way Airbnb treats temporary lettings.

Airbnb says a typical London host earns an additional £3,500 ($4,621) by sharing their space for 50 nights a year and claims hosts generated £1.3bn of economic activity in the capital last year.

The US firm added that the entire home listings on Airbnb account for less than 0.7% of the housing stock in Greater London.