Is Marlborough being hit by the scourge of Airbnb?

‘The scourge’ is when the number of properties available as living spaces for local residents starts to shrink, and when some landlords decide to evict tenants to turn over their properties to the Airbnb market which, whilst not necessarily making those properties used all the time, their income will be significantly greater.

Marlborough is already suffering a dearth of ‘Affordable’, let alone ‘Social’ dwelling places for those who want to stay and live in the town, maybe with young families and have a desire to work locally in one of the many excellent local businesses.

But the growth in the number of properties available on just Airbnb alone is already making this problem greater.

Marlborough.news has been given numerous examples of how residents are being affected by this new revenue opportunity for landlords. In one (small) lane just off the High Street there are sixteen properties. Mostly small ‘cottages’, some owner occupied but a significant proportion rented. Until fairly recently it was an area where people and families lived. A residential area, a community. Not where visitors came in for a day, two days or a week and then disappeared. Now four are in the Airbnb system and to make this possible, long term residents have been evicted so that a property can gain ever greater income from the tourist market via Airbnb. And not only do those evicted have real problems finding alternative accommodation, in the area, at a reasonable price – or be forced move far away to somewhere affordable – not through any fault of their own, rather that the owner of the property in which they have lived can get a lot more money. Their lives are disrupted, massively.

Housing is recognised as a critical issue facing the town, as shown in the recent Area Neighbourhood Plan. Developers are being made to include ‘Affordable’ properties in new developments above a certain size, but what actually is ‘Affordable’? Supposedly 80% of the market rate (sale, joint ownership or rental) in the area. Very difficult to precisely define and relatively easy to skirt around. It happens, regularly, in many cases and each time places a greater strain on the already squeezed housing marketplace in Marlborough.

Is this a negative for the town? Many would say that visitor income keeps the town thriving, but others will point out that where do people who want to work here have to live? The young, those with families, those older who can’t afford one of the many ‘retirement’ developments in the town? And transport? If they have to live far away – bus service, parking etc. Community? Creating a town of occasional visitors, passing through doesn’t do much for the town as a whole, a place to live….. It becomes a ‘shadow town’.

This isn’t a criticism of Airbnb per se. There are numerous commercial hotels / B&Bs / residences that are geared to Airbnb and for them – and the town – it works. But when houses and flats, occupied long term by residents are suddenly turned over to the (more profitable) short term rental market and those residents are kicked out and forced to go elsewhere – that’s when it doesn’t work, and is that where Marlborough is currently going?

This ‘scourge’ has already hit many popular places in the country. St Ives in Cornwall, a classic example where over a short time the profile has changed from traditional long term residential to short term let. A local wanting to rent? No way. But for businesses, in the summer months, excellent. However, in the off season they must cut back or close for maybe eight months of the year as the tourists aren’t there and they can’t afford to pay staff when hardly anyone is around. Does that help the local economy? It changes the shape but doesn’t necessarily inject any overall growth and prosperity, although it destroys sense of ‘community’.

Cornwall Local Authority is looking to double the Council Tax rate for such short term residential properties as a way to slow or reduce the change from residential to short term let, and they aren’t alone. Other Councils are doing the same. But – thankfully – Marlborough isn’t quite there – yet. Other suggestions being discussed include introducing the requirement for change of use, when a long term residential property is turned over to short term let. Retrospectively, this could conceivably affect every house or flat that has been switched, ever. This would require a legislative change, but such a change is being made regarding Leasehold properties, so this is quite possible.

The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities – Michael Gove – has recently addressed this area and is proposing that the local community will have the power to decide when it comes to achieving a balance between the local economy (tourists) and long term residents being able to buy/rent their homes – or not. What this actually means, too early to tell yet but it should allow Local Authorities to make decisions based on local circumstances.

Marlborough already has the rumblings of a developing housing crisis, the balance needs to be struck between the local economy (visitors and tourists) and residents, those of us who live here, so that all can benefit and enjoy what Marlborough offers, and has done for centuries past.