From 18 December 2020, a mandatory Code of Conduct will apply to booking platforms, hosts, letting agents and guests of short-term rental accommodation, helping to enforce minimum standards of good behaviour.

A key feature of the new laws will be the establishment of an exclusion register, which will introduce a ‘two strikes and you’re out’ policy for unruly guests. NSW Fair Trading will have the ability to ban problematic hosts or anti-social guests from booking short-term rentals for five years.

Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson said while the sector had gone from strength to strength, what has been missing is a clear set of rules to protect the rights of both hosts, guests and neighbours and which put mutual respect front and centre.

“The NSW Government is introducing these laws as part of our broad reform of the sector. Together, they will ensure the minority of participants who are giving the sector a bad name are removed and the short-term rental sector is improved for hosts, guests and communities,” Mr Anderson said.

“We have all heard the horror stories of hosts doing the wrong thing or the house guests from hell behaving disgracefully in holiday rentals. The standards are enforceable, with powers available to NSW Fair Trading Commissioner to take disciplinary action, including penalties and exclusion from the industry for repeat offenders.”

All participants, including booking platforms, will be required to comply with the Code and with directions and requests from the Commissioner.

The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is also developing a government-run premises register and state environmental planning policy for short-term rental accommodation which will round out the reforms to this sector and launch in 2021.

The Code of Conduct can be viewed here. For additional information, please visit the Fair Trading website.

Source: Destination NSW