Airbnb landlords step up to the mark as councils plead for homeless accommodation

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Landlords with short-term let accommodation face a difficult choice as booking dry up and the sales and long-term lettings market stay frozen. So why not help out local councils?

Airbnb
landlords in Edinburgh who have seen business slump are doing their bit by
offering vacant properties to homeless families affected by the crisis.

It
follows an urgent call by councils around the country to second homeowners,
hoteliers, B&Bs, Airbnb owners and student housing providers to come
forward with offers of help so homeless people and rough sleepers can
self-isolate.

Thanks to them, 65 flats – as well as 120 hotel rooms in Edinburgh – have been taken over to house homeless families with children who were stuck in unsuitable bed and breakfasts.

Council leader Adam McVey says: “We’ve worked
hard to find safe places to stay for everyone who is or becomes homeless during
this pandemic.

“We’ve successfully moved the families we
care for into suitable flats – including properties sourced from the private
sector. We’re also determined that this will remain the case for as long as the
coronavirus crisis continues.”

The council tells LandlordZONE that it currently has enough homes to meet demand, but that its Additional Accommodation Needs Team is still focused on finding options.

“It’s a mixture of us sourcing the right
places for people to stay and offers coming in which we sift through,” says a spokeswoman.
“We negotiate on a case-by-case basis with each landlord
on this, but we will pay.”

Meanwhile, Airbnb hosts are offering NHS and
other frontline medical staff free places to stay while they carry out their
critical work, with Airbnb waiving all fees for the stays. So far nearly
1,500 places have been offered by UK hosts.

If any Edinburgh landlords are interested in
helping, contact Jillian.cunningham-edwards@edinburgh.gov.uk

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