This year (2023), a new mandatory register to be known as the Short-Term Tourist Letting (STTL) Register is being established by the government for all properties engaged in short-term lettings in Ireland.
Love Connemara Cottages has kept up to date on this long running topic and has put together a Q&A overview of what‘s coming down the track for those in the sector.
Q. I have read that there is Short-Term Tourist Letting Register being established – what is it all about?
Due to the housing crisis, the Irish government is under pressure on many fronts to bring more long-term rental properties into the market. The establishment of a mandatory register for all short-term rental properties is being done to ensure anyone operating in the short-term sector has the requisite planning permission. This new register, managed by Fáilte Ireland covers the Republic of Ireland and is expected to be launched in March 2023. Each compliant property will receive a special register number known as an STTL Number – which must be used wherever the property is marketed e.g. all booking platforms or advertisements.
Q. Who does this new register affect & how?
- Property Owners – all those wishing to stay in the short-term (self-catering) market are required to have a Short-Term Tourism Letting (STTL) Registration Number
- Marketing Agencies – all marketing agencies are required to display the individual STR number of each property they market on their websites. This includes local marketing agencies like Love Connemara Cottages as well as the larger agencies like Airbnb.
Q. I have a self-catering property in Connemara – does this affect me?
A. Yes and No. As all properties in short-term letting in Ireland are required to join the register then yes it does affect you in that you must be part of the register.
In 2016 ‘Rent Pressure Zones’ were introduced in Ireland. If your property is in one of these designated Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) then your property will need to have appropriate planning for a holiday home. If a property does not have the appropriate planning permission then it will likely not receive the required Registration Number and therefore cannot be marketed as a holiday home anywhere.
If your property lies outside of a Rent Pressure Zones, for examples in areas like Connemara, then you will still need to register your property but express permission to operate as a holiday home is not yet required.
Q. Is my property already part of a register and will this suffice?
A. If your property (through Love Connemara Cottages) has been successful in receiving the Fáilte Ireland Welcome Standard approval over the past one to two year then yes. Love Connemara Cottages has been aware of pending register for a number of years and has worked to ensure all of our properties are under a government framework.
Love Connemara Cottages will automatically issue you with an STTL number when the register goes live.
Q. My property was not successful in the Fáilte Ireland assessment – what now?
A. You can apply independently for your registration number when the register opens (proposed March 2023).
Q. What information is being asked for on this new register ?
- Email Address
- Details of the property owner
- Property address including Eircode
- Capacity information of the property
- Confirmation that the property being registered has the relevant planning permission (if necessary)
Q. Is the register live?
A. No. The details of the register are being finalised at present. Also, the legislation that underpins the register is still working its ways to the legislative process.
Q. How much will it cost to join the register?
A. This has not been determined yet, however another similar register which has been running for years by Fáilte Ireland costs approximately €250 per annum so it likely to be similar in cost.
If you are part of the Failte Ireland Welcome Standard through Love Connemara Cottages then there is no charge at this time.
Q. What happens if I don’t join?
For Property Owners – Fáilte Ireland may levy a €300 fixed payment notice on property owners who advertise their property without a valid FI registration number and also have the option to bring the case to the district court where the maximum fine is up to €5,000
For Marketing Platforms / Agencies – For platforms, Fáilte Ireland can levy fines of up to €5,000 per invalid listing for advertising properties without valid Fáilte Ireland numbers.
Q. Should I keep accepting bookings?
A. Yes. As Connemara is not designated as a Rent Pressure Zones (RPZ), properties can continue to accept bookings.
For properties in a Rent Pressure Zones there is a proposed provision in the legislation of a 6 month clarification / transition period from the date the register launches will allow proeprty owners to not only trade over the summer but allow them time to establish their planning status and if they need to, submit any applications to their Local Authority.
Q. Where can I get more information on this?
- You can check back here from time to time for any updates from us.
- Fáilte Ireland (Short Term Tourist Letting Register) – https://www.failteireland.ie/Supports/Get-quality-assured/Short-Term-Tourist-Letting-Register-(STTLR).aspx
Q. What should I do next?
A. All the details of this register have not been finalised. For now, keep up-to-date with news developments on this topic and keep an eye here also for updates from ourselves.
If your property was approved under the recent Fáilte Ireland Welcome Standard system with Love Connemara Cottages then we will automatically issue you with an STTL number when the register goes live.