Households across the UK can soon make money on the side by sub-letting their flats or houses on Airbnb.
The holiday lets service has announced a new scheme that will allow people to rent out their homes to earn money on the side – including those who are already renting from a landlord.
The property portal has announced it is going to make it easier for tenants to become hosts on Airbnb as long as they stay living at the address as well.
It means UK households up and down the country could earn some spare pocket money on the side using Airbnb whether they own their home or just rent it.
Airbnb has announced a partnership with Greystar to allow 1,500 homes across the UK to be sublet by tenants.
The scheme will start in London and follows the launch in the US.
Prospective tenants will be obliged to sign a contract with their landlord to establish ground rules on subletting, including limits on the number of nights that a property can be sublet each year. Between 10 and 25 percent of the money will also have to be shared with the landlord.
But estate agents fear the change could leave landlords at risk from tenants listing their property without approval or in contravention of their tenancy agreement.
Gary Hall, head of lettings at Knight Frank, said: “We currently have the issue of tenants who Airbnb their properties across London without permission.
“Without proper verification, this initiative risks landlords being exposed to unauthorised property listings by tenants who do not have approval.
“Airbnb needs to do more to make sure it is done with the permission of the landlord. More rigour and proof that it is the landlord who has given permission for this to happen, with extra level of security over just a contact signature.
“At the moment there is abuse, and we don’t want the problem to get worse.”
Jesse Stein, Global Head of Real Estate at Airbnb, told Letting Agent Today: “It’s no secret that a lot of tenancy agreements say do not sublet [so] unfortunately, renters have had a challenge historically to become Airbnb hosts.
“Landlords taking part in the programme were happy as long as they could ensure that [the flats] are people’s primary homes.”
