NSW government pondering party tax for Airbnb owners to compensate neighbours

Airbnb property owners in New South Wales could be faced with financial penalties if their guests upset neighbours by holding loud parties.

Dubbed a ‘nuisance tax’, the money would also provide extra revenue to Airbnb, with proposals undergoing public consultation for three months.

There are roughly 40,000 Airbnb properties in NSW, and large numbers of complaints have been made by locals who claim some of these homes have been turned into constant party venues for things like stag and hen parties.

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According to the Daily Mail, Head of Public Policy ANZ at Airbnb, Brent Thomas, said: “We are now one step closer to having fair and progressive rules for home sharing in NSW. While some of the options are fair and sensible, others would hurt not only our host community, but also millions of travellers and the small businesses who depend on Airbnb.”

Some Australian Airbnb listings are believed to generate as much as AU$250,000 a year, such is their popularity, especially in scenic coastal locations.

Airbnb say that negative incidents are extremely rare and that it has a no tolerance policy to anti-social behaviour. A spokesperson told the Daily Mail: “Airbnb has a strong track record of supporting measures across Australia which strike the right balance between support home sharing, while stamping out antisocial behaviour.”