28 July 2014

Stop Short Term Accommodation in Residential Apartments

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I am seeking your support to draw to the attention of the ACT Legislative Assembly the Social and community problems associated with allowing short-term accommodation in residential apartment complexes. These include the behavioural impact of short-term guests on residents, compromised security and inability of residents to enjoy their own home due to crowd sourced noise and antisocial behaviour.

The petition requests the Assembly to review legislation to allow residential apartments to remain as people’s homes not hotels, motels and other short-term accommodation models. You will find the epetition on the ACT Government website, the link is https://epetitions.act.gov.au/CurrentEPetition.aspx?PetNum=12&lIndex=-1

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neanderthalsis2:44 pm 29 Jul 14

Canberra has a fairly highly transient workforce and consequently, short term accommodation is always in demand. It would in most cases occupied by professionals in town on a contract or short erm posting before they head back to where ever they came from.

Can you claim that noise in your block is not the fault of the permanent residences? Do you all tiptoe across the shagpile while those horrible short term residents tap dance in hob nail boots on wooden floors?

Wherever you go you will have some noise, out in the burbs you get parties too, along with the normal array of general household noise, bogan car revving, fighting kids, lawn mowers, etc. If you take offense at that, life on a rural property might be better, you could start a petition to stop the cockatoos and kookaburras from make noise.

Ghettosmurf87 said :

That being said, residents of apartments shouldn’t have to put up with consistent parties next door. But is it actually true that all, or even most, short-term residents are actually having constant parties.

It wouldn’t be surprising if it’s just NewActon (and other new places both central and swish) having major problems. See this article from February 2013 about complaints over people renting out apartments there for parties, hens nights etc.

Short-stay rentals somewhere like Barton are obviously likely to be people in town on business.

Ghettosmurf874:25 pm 28 Jul 14

I don’t mean to be mean to Ms Blakey, but if her son struggles to cope with yelling or high-pitched noises, is an apartment really the best setting to reside in? I would have thought that a quiet suburban home, nestled in the back streets of a suburb would be a better option?

That being said, residents of apartments shouldn’t have to put up with consistent parties next door. But is it actually true that all, or even most, short-term residents are actually having constant parties. If there isn’t actually anything backing this up, then it is simply one anecdote and is only as valid as the separate anecdote described by Holden Caulfield.

I could add in another another anecdote too, in that I know of friends who live in an apartment that often have parties and people crashing there of a night, who sometimes make loud noises. But they are long-term residents there and as far as I know, haven’t actually had any formal complaints about it.

It was something I accepted when I moved into an apartment complex. There is the likelihood that, from time to time, I’m going to be able to hear things from other residents in the complex. It seems perfectly logical to me that this would occur.

As I stated earlier, if I had a great desire or a specific need for a very quiet living space, I would choose my residency appropriately.

StopShortTermAccommodation1:02 pm 28 Jul 14

Grail said :

Here’s a suitable link to cover the elements of “who the heck are you and why do you want us to sign this petition: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/apartment-owners-move-to-stamp-out-shortterm-rentals-20140712-zt3gm.html

Liz Blakey is a mother of an autistic child and has had to go to great lengths to soundproof her house due to rowdy neighbours.

I was hoping to find support here and other people who have had similar issues, that is why I posted. This is a huge issue for many people who now choose to live in apartments. Understandably you cant choose your neighbours but I haven’t met any other resident who is happy to have a hotel room in their apartment complex. There is diminished security, safe, as well as continual parties…not sure many people would want a hotel room next door or across the hall

Madam Cholet12:39 pm 28 Jul 14

Interesting as we have exactly the opposite dilemma arising from our holiday apartment down the coast. We find that when permanent rentals move in that problems increase – parking, noise, pets, feral kids (and parents). At least with short-term rentals they are gone in a few days.

We stayed recently in Kingston due to some renos going on at home and agree that a lot of apartments are not well insulated and allow noise to travel. Why am I always staying underneath the people who seem to want to rearrange their furniture every night?

The problem lies in the poor quality of design and manufacture of apartments in Australia. In Austria (and I am sure most of Europe) you cannot hear your neighbour either above, below or beside as the buildings have very thick and sound proofing.

Australian legislation needs to be updated to stop these problems.

Holden Caulfield10:16 am 28 Jul 14

There’s a short term rental apartment on the other side of the lift to me where I live in Kingston. Haven’t heard a noise from it at all in 12 months+ let alone anything to complain about!

Here’s a suitable link to cover the elements of “who the heck are you and why do you want us to sign this petition: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/apartment-owners-move-to-stamp-out-shortterm-rentals-20140712-zt3gm.html

Liz Blakey is a mother of an autistic child and has had to go to great lengths to soundproof her house due to rowdy neighbours.

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