Councillors in one of the country's poshest cities are proposing new measures to combat "pop up brothels" and stag parties.
There are concerns that Airbnbs and short term lets in Cambridge are creating a number of problems for locals, reports CambridgeshireLive.
Councillor Karen Young (Liberal Democrat) said in a council meeting this week: "There is an enormous amount of stress for residents affecting their quality of life by the existence of short term letting in the city. People are residents for such a short time, they are not invested in being good neighbours and building good relations with those living next door, this means unrestrained behaviour, with parties, noise, and rudeness to neighbours."
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Cambridge City Council backed a motion supporting the creation of new measures to control short term lets, as more and more homes in the university city are converted into Airbnbs.
Councillor Naomi Bennett (Green Party) thinks Airbnb conversions are a “huge problem”. She said even new properties the city council had "sweated to build" were now being let on Airbnb.
Cllr Bennett said people were often unable to trace the owner of the property if there was an issue, giving the example of houses being "let to a stag party or what appears to be a pop up brothel or worse".
Cllr Young added that frequent "comings and goings" disturb the peace. She also slammed "rogue landlords who have no regard to the space and safety requirements… leaving tourists in unsuitable accommodation".
"This also reduces the number of people staying in hotels, businesses which are regulated, employ people in the city and pay taxes," she went on. "Houses are taken out of the long term housing market, reducing the availability of housing close to where people work, particularly at the lower end of the market, reducing the long term sustainability of our communities and turning Cambridge into a museum town."
The Daily Star has contacted Airbnb for comment.
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