Cumbrian MP Tim Farron is calling on Airbnb to get tough on landlords who evict families to turn homes into holiday lets.
The former Lib Dem leader, who represents the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, met with bosses from the online letting giant after a worrying rise of local people and families who have been kicked out of their Lake District homes.
Mr Farron urged Airbnb to publicly declare that they will not accept onto their books any properties where the landlord had made the property available by getting rid of the local people or family who lived there under a section 21 no-fault eviction.
There has been a 32 per cent increase in the number of holiday lets in South Lakeland over the past year.
According to Mr Farron the sharp rise is hurting the tourist economy, with the shortage of homes exacerbating the current staffing crisis.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to meet with Airbnb and I’m pleased they said they understood the problems that a surge in holiday lets is having for local families struggling to find a home,” he said.
“However I remain deeply concerned that letting companies like Airbnb are doing nowhere near enough to discourage landlords who shamefully throw out their tenants so they can make more money letting out their property on the holiday market.
“While the Government continues to drag its feet over taking the proper action that would stop this from happening, companies like Airbnb have the chance to do the morally right thing and say no to these landlords.”
