2022-11-14 GC Agenda - Item 4 - Attachment 1 - Short Term Accommodation Monitoring Report 2022

3.6.1 Short Stay Letting and Home Hosted Accommodation Local Law
In response to ongoing issues surrounding the operation of short term accommodation within
residential areas, Noosa Council prepared a local law for short stay letting and home hosted
accommodation. The local law commenced on 1 February 2022.
The local law regulates and manages the ongoing use of short stay letting and home hosted
accommodation to reduce the residential amenity impacts on permanent residents, ensure the
operation of the use is lawful and minimum guest safety standards are adhered to. The local
law requires a local management framework and establishes a code of conduct for guest
behaviour.
The local law does not apply to specifically identified visitor only sites and the Hastings Street
Mixed Use precinct where no permanent residents are either permitted or intended where the
range of activities and uses are mixed, often noisy and late night, reflective of tourist areas.

A one off approval is required and renewed annually while the short stay letting or home hosted
accommodation activity continues to operate at the property. Conditions are placed on the
approval which must be adhered to, including requirements for a local contact person to be
available 24/7 to deal with complaints and a code of conduct for guest behaviour.

Short stay let properties are required to display an approval notice at the front of the property
(or at a location consistent with body corporate bylaws), including the 24/7 complaints hotline
number and approval number.

All complaints are directed to Council’s 24/7 hotline in the first instance. The hotline contacts
the responsible contact person for the property to attend to the complaint within 30 minutes.
The hotline records the complaint details and how the matter was resolved. The hotline
provides a daily report to Council on complaints and how they were dealt with.

A Guide to Good Management of Short Stay Letting and Home Hosted Accommodation was
also prepared to provide additional information and best practice ways to manage properties
used for short stay letting to meet the requirements of the local law and reduce the impacts on
residential amenity.

3.6.2 Cost Benefit Analysis of local law – AEC
As part of the public interest test report on the Short Stay Letting and Home Hosted
Accommodation local law, AEC were commissioned to provide a cost benefit analysis of the
local law. The report concluded the benefits of the local law outweighed the costs particularly
to the community, residential amenity, resident health and wellbeing, stating in part:
       There is a significant impact on traditional residential neighbourhoods from the
       increased level and type of activity associated with short stay accommodation, much
       of which is focussed on noise disturbances, amenity, safety and security. Placing
       effective local controls on activity and behaviour will reduce the extent and type of
       adverse effects on permanent residents in locations where short stay letting and home
       hosted accommodation are provided.
       Much of these impacts relate to resident health and residential amenity, with amenity
       referring to the ability for residents to enjoy their homes in a peaceful manner with
       feelings of community and safety. Residential homes should allow their occupants the
       ability to wind down, relax and sleep with minimal disturbances. Such residential
       amenity maximises resident health and wellbeing.
       Potential beneficiaries within Noosa Shire from the proposed local law include 10,610
       residential properties consisting of an estimated 26,525 persons, and as such
       represent a significant portion of the local community. The benefits of the proposed

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Noosa Council Monitoring Report 2022/23