Letters: Why should Airbnb owners be treated differently?

A reader says letting a house to paying guests is a business operation. Photo/File

A five-bedroom house which is let out for most of the year to paying guests is hardly a family holiday home.

Rather, it seems more like a flash backpackers or private hotel, ie a business operation.

Sure, these guests bring in thousands of dollars to the local economy but they also bring in a tidy sum to the property owners or they wouldn't be in the business.

Part of the charge to guests at motels, hotels etc is to cover business rates for use of ratepayer-funded infrastructure and services and these operators don't quibble about paying business rates.

Why should Airbnb operations be treated differently? I hope council detects many other Airbnb owners flouting this rates legislation.

PADDI HODGKISS
Rotorua

Wish-list for city

Yes, Mike Byrne (Letters, September 2), I am considering standing for mayor - if I can drum up any support!

Among the first things I would do - free 3-hour parking throughout the CBD, free buses into town - or at least one free bus every hour - or even a couple of free buses just continually circling the whole area.

I would encourage all the restaurants to have outdoor seating. Police foot patrols throughout the day until 10 at night in the summer and 8 in the winter. No parking in the town centre for anything larger than an SUV or UTE, a proper park just for camper vans nearby (with a free bus service it wouldn't matter where).

I would look at ways to divert all HGVs out of the town centre. The immediate building of a roundabout outside the supermarket on Te Ngae Rd.

Encourage art and light refreshment stalls within the confines of the Memorial Gardens (at least until the museum is reopened). I would not allow any more liquor stores to open in Rotorua - we have enough! Restore the library and put the nursery elsewhere. Reduce the cost of rates both to dwellings and shops - fund the shortfall with a local lottery.

No more "vanity" projects - I want to help the city - not myself. There are much more suggestions as to how to help Rotorua - not enough room here!

JIM ADAMS
Rotorua