2019 Update: Please Note The Information on This Page is Now Outdated and is Archived for Information Purposes Only. Please CLICK HERE to View the Latest Information Regarding Short Term Accommodation
– It’s official –
– Visitor Accommodation Under Siege –
The Queenstown Lakes District Council have launched a massive campaign targeting the illegal Visitor Accommodation use of houses within the District – whether as a holiday house let by the property owner or tenants sub-letting rooms. As reported nationwide in the New Zealand Herald, The Otago Daily Times, and on the Council’s own website, an audit has been undertaken by the Council:
As a result of the audit, 792 property owners are being contacted and reminded that they need to register their properties, apply for resource consent or alternatively stop advertising their properties for short-term rent. This would also apply if tenants had been sub-letting rooms in a house without the landlord’s knowledge.
Under the Resource Management Act, these land owners could face a fine of up to $300,000 and two years’ imprisonment if they don’t get these matters sorted quickly… ouch!
So – what are the rules?
Well – unsurprisingly it’s rather complicated.. But let’s distil it down:
Use By Friends & Family:
1 – Do you want to allow your home to be used by friends / family etc for without any payment? -> No further action required. This is a permitted activity and you do not need to contact the Council.
Home Stay (Bed & Breakfast):
2 – Do you want to use your home as a Home Stay (Bed & Breakfast) for a maximum of 5 guests, with you living on site at the same time? You need to register your Homestay with the Council, but should not need a resource consent. If you will have more than 5 guests – you will require a resource consent.
Commercial Letting (Air BnB, Bookabach, NZ Holiday Homes etc):
3 – Do you only want to rent your home/room for one single let of 1 or 2 nights per annum? Say just over the New Years period? -> No further action required. This is a permitted activity and you do not need to contact the Council.
4 – Do you want to rent out for one single let per annum, for up to 30 days? Say to one family over the entire Christmas/New Years period for example? -> You need to register your Holiday Home with the Council, but should not need a resource consent.
5 – Do you want to rent out on multiple occasions per calendar year, up to a maximum 90 days in total – each single let being 3+ nights? -> You need to register your Holiday Home with the Council, but should not need a resource consent.
6 – How about the ultimate freedom – the ability to rent out as many times as you want, to any number of guests, for any length of time? -> You require a resource consent.
Important Note: Advertising your property on websites such as AirBnB, Bookabach etc is counted toward your letting allowances. I.e. if you are advertising your holiday home on AirBnB year-round, you still require a resource consent even if you only intend to actually rent for 90 days or less!
Will My Rates Go Up?
Aw shucks – they will in most, but not all cases. More information can be found in the Council’s own Guide to Visitor Accommodation. If you pursue a Resource Consent you will likely be subject to the payment of a development contribution to the Council.
I need a Resource Consent!
With amazing Holiday Homes in our amazing District commanding amazing rent values (up to $4000/week!) it’s no surprise that many home owners choose to pursue a resource consent for Visitor Accommodation for the ultimate freedom. But its not always a simple process.
The ease of getting resource consent for Visitor Accommodation whether in Queenstown, Wanaka, Arrowtown or anywhere else in the District differs wildly as it is dependent on so many factors – such as the location of the property, type of property (i.e. apartment vs farm house), noise, neighbours, car parking and much more! In our experience the biggest single factor (and potentially hurdle) is your neighbours – exactly why we continue to preach good neighbourly talk over the backyard fence!
Because of this we suggest that you get in touch with us and have a chat (no charge of course!). Remember: we won’t sugar-coat the truth – if we think there is little chance your application will be approved – we will let you know.
Do I Need Professional Holiday Home Management?
As part of the resource consent application we need to supply details on how the property will be carefully managed when used for short term accommodation, so as to not affect neighbours or the wider neighbourhood. The majority of clients we work with choose to have their holiday home managed by a professional property management agency, and we incorporate this into the application. Whilst not a requirement, a property manager will assist you in meeting the requirements of your resource consent, in addition to promoting your property.
We strongly recommend you contact Goodstays for your holiday home management needs. Serving both Queenstown and Wanaka, in our experience Goodstays are the most professional and efficient management company.
Contact: Nicholas Casely Parker (Goodstays General Manager) T: +64 21.229.6029 | e: ncp@goodstays.co.nz
Want More Info?
Check out the Council’s own guide to Visitor Accommodation publication – which contains more info than we could fit on this page!