All short-term rental accommodation (STRA) will have to be registered by 1 January 2025 following the passing of new laws by the WA government last week.
The laws cover both hosted accommodation (where the owner lives onsite) and unhosted (where guests have exclusive use of a property).
REIWA CEO Cath Hart said the Institute supported a register, which would give an up-to-date picture of the short-stay market in WA, including how many properties there were, where they were and how they were used.
"However, while we support the establishment of a register, our members have previously expressed concerns about tenants registering a property without the owner's authorisation and sub-letting it as short-term accommodation," she said.
"During the submission period for this Bill we recommended registrants be required to demonstrate or declare their right to register a property.
"DEMIRS' response was that regulations will be developed requiring registrants to declare whether they own or lease the property. However, they will not be required to demonstrate a right to offer the premises as short-stay accommodation.
"We also raised the concerns about properties being registered in contravention of strata by-laws and were assured registrants will have to declare whether the premises are part of a strata scheme. There will be an opportunity for the registration to be cancelled by the Commissioner for Consumer Protection if strata by-laws are being violated."
The STRA register will open on 1 July 2024.
Under the new laws, unhosted STRA in the Perth metropolitan area that are let for more than 90 days in a 12-month period will be required to get development approval from their local government. In regional areas, which includes Peel, the relevant local government will determine if planning approval is needed.
Hosted STRA will not have to get development approval.
There will be no cap on the number of nights a property can be let.
