Ministry backs Christchurch council ruling that Airbnb owners need consent or must stop
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has upheld a council decision requiring Christchurch Airbnb owners to seek resource consent or cease short-term letting.
Christchurch City Council challenged property owners who were using residential units as short-term accommodation without the required consent. The council argued this represented an unauthorised change of use from the properties' original consent. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has now backed the council's position, meaning affected owners must either obtain proper consent or stop operating as Airbnb rentals.
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RNZ
MBIE backs council ruling that Christchurch Airbnb owners need to get consent or stop
Christchurch City Council sought a determination from the ministry because it felt the owners had changed the use of the unit from its consented use.
1News
MBIE backs ruling that Christchurch Airbnb owners need to get consent or stop
Consultant Mike Blackburn said the determination was relevant to apartments in other developments that were used predominantly as short-term accommodation.