Life assurance firm Friends First has hit out at the failure to regularise under the planning code any system for landlords for Airbnb-style lettings.
The company has lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanála seeking to overturn a planning refusal for the temporary use of six apartments it owns at 43-44 Clarendon Street off Grafton Street in Dublin for short-term letting.
Dublin City Council last month refused the company's plan.
The Council said planning permission would result in "an unwanted precedent for similar development in the area, which may then result in the further unacceptable loss of long-term residential rental properties in the locality”.
It said the loss of six apartments to short-term letting would be a concern due to the existing housing shortage currently experienced within Dublin.
In its appeal to An Bord Pleanála, Friends First said it was compelled to make the appeal "for reason of the apparent absence of any method to regularise, under planning statutes, a short tenure of rental for houses and apartments”.
Friends First said that there is a demand for short-term letting of the apartment units it owns.
The company also said that the change of use to short term lettings “will not set a precedent for further similar development on the basis that each planning application is subject to individual assessment”.
A decision is due on the appeal in August.
