1. A specific department needs to be set up within Local Authorities for registration of all holiday lets and holiday homes.

2. Residential houses should have to apply for change of use to a business, in the same way as a butchers shop would have to apply for change of use to a cafe.  As part of this process they should be asked to:-

o Provide a copy of their title deeds to ensure they do not have any restrictive covenants e.g. can only be used as a private dwelling

o Neighbours should be informed of request of change of use and be allowed to submit their objections, in the same way as they would through a planning process

o Consideration of parking spaces should be part of the application process and part of the decision making on whether to grant permission

o If/when permission is granted owners should provide the “registration dept” with a copy of their insurance to ensure it is appropriate for letting use

3. Local Authority should have an agreed “cap” on number of holiday lets and holiday homes, not only within the county but also on a street.

With regards to Point 2, I am aware of several properties with restrictive covenants that they should not be used as businesses but the owners ignore this as no one checks. 

I was the Welsh Labour Candidate for Aberconwy during the 2020 Senedd Election.  Whilst campaigning I spoke to a constituent in Llandudno who told me about several houses on her road that had been built as affordable housing to be used by locals.  They are now being used as holiday lets.  No one from the LA has bothered to check that they are actually being used for the purpose they were built.  She told me that she had tried to report it to the council but they were not interested.  This is depriving locals of affordable homes. 

Another constituent told me she lived in a small village near Betws-y-Coed and that out of 10 houses on her street 8 were now holiday lets.  She said not only had it destroyed the community but she no longer allowed her children to go to their local park on their own as they are over looked by “different strangers” every week.  She was also a Welsh speaker and described how this had had a huge detrimental effect on the Welsh language locally.  This is why there should be caps not just across a county but also on specific roads.  Some roads become “ghost streets” in the winter as holiday home owners don’t visit and holiday lets have less bookings.

I would be very happy to discuss this matter in further detail  should it be required.

Yours sincerely,

Dawn McGuinness