Jenny Coman, Bangalow
It’s hard to believe that after all the complaints and the horror stories behind them, VOHL (Victims of Holiday Letting) are urging us to ‘actively support’ the proposed holiday letting strategy currently on exhibition by Byron Shire Council (letters, 18/11).
The moment this short-term renting is made legal, there will be absolutely no way it can be controlled and this is what residents really need to understand. Council has been almost completely negligent in enforcing the rules under the current LEP which is still in operation but at least with a workable policy and determined implementation, they still could and surely this should be focus of any new DCP, not the extraordinarily complicated and unrealistic policy on exhibition – and if anyone thinks I’m exaggerating, please try to read the policy on council’s website.
Perhaps it’s time victims of holiday letting – and there are many – should consider a class action against council which has certainly not carried out its ‘duty of care’ towards them; I’d happily support such an action unless council stops wasting our money and staff resources and takes a more sensible and workable approach.
I’d suggest returning to what we had before, amended to suit our changed conditions. Traditionally, some people let their homes during some of the school holidays and council turned a blind eye – unless there were complaints when action was taken. I’d think this not unreasonable and what needs to be spelt out in policy is holiday letting during school holidays only, with fines – I’d make them heavy – for any initial upset to residents and termination of letting if a second complaint is upheld. No short-term letting at any other time of year, no ridiculous ‘categories’ which staff could hardly be expected to actually police (or even administer); in other words keep it simple, manageable and fair – and let us keep our community, which we’re already losing.
I intend to submit along these lines to council and, as opposed to last week’s letter writers, ask that others do also but not in support of making holiday letting legal; give the illegal operators a ‘sunset clause’ – a year or two at most to shut down their illegal operations and warn of action to follow against any non-compliance – and mean it; the illegals are easily found on the net.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
