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ARTICLE · 01 MAY 2020

NSW introduces new laws to regulate airbnb-style, short-term rental accommodation

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A key piece of reform anticipated in the legislation was a proposed Code of Conduct for short-term rental accommodation.

AustraliaReal Estate and Construction
Natalie Bryant
Natalie Bryant
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New restrictions on Airbnb-style short-term rental accommodation (STRA) commenced in New South Wales on 10 April 2020. The laws are designed to exclude STRA arrangements from the traditional residential tenancies regime and assist owners corporations to manage STRA in their buildings.

What has changed?

The Fair Trading Amendment (Short-term Rental Accommodation) Act 2018 (NSW)(Amendment Act) came into force on 10 April 2020, giving effect to changes to the Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) and Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW)(SSM Act).

The legislation is part of a broader package of reforms that the NSW Government has been pursuing in recent years in an attempt to find a balance between the economic benefits of the STRA industry and public concerns about the amenity impacts of widespread holiday-letting through platforms such as Airbnb.

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