Dubbo Airbnb provider among 200 submissions on NSW government Short Term Rental Accommodation rule changes

The NSW Department of Planning Environment and Industry announced changes to the Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) rules to be introduced from July 30.

The rules include a cap of 180 days per year that non-hosted STRA can be leased in seven NSW locations, including Dubbo.

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STRA providers will also be required to sign up to a government-run register, and must comply with new rules, including fire safety standard requirements.

NSW Planning Department deputy secretary Marcus Ray said the department received more than 2000 submissions in response to the initial framework and since had been working with councils, the industry and working across government to resolve issues that were raised.

"This new framework follows extensive consultation with the community and the holiday letting industry," Mr Ray said.

In a submission to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Dubbo Airbnb host Diane Brooks said she was "deeply concerned" with the NSW government's changes to the STRA rules, which would make it harder and more expensive for her to share her accommodation.

"Generally I support the government's approach, however parts of the current proposals are unfair and fall short of the government's commitments," she said.

Ms Brooks said she opposed the requirements for development permits, which would be costly and make hosting uneconomical.

She also opposed the "potentially costly, complex and onerous" condition of a compulsory register for STRA operators.

"For holiday homes up and down the coast, and in the regions, these have existed for decades without these expensive permits which will end up making holidays across NSW more expensive," she wrote.

While Ms Brooks opposed the "unprecedented requirements" to make alterations to her property before hosting, she did support the NSW government streamlining safety regulations including introducing minimum fire safety standards.

"Put simply, if my house is approved to be safe for me and my family to live in, it's safe for my guests," she wrote.

Ms Brooks however did support the mandatory code of conduct, which she said was "reasonable and representative of the home sharing community".

"It provides strong protections for hosts and guests from vexatious or frivolous complaints. I ask the government amend the code to allow hosts, such as myself, to be covered by insurance directly provided by a booking platform," she wrote.