Budget 2016: Airbnb seeks tax relief, says hosts rely on income

Holiday accommodation website Airbnb has said hosts rely on income from guests to make ends meet as it lobbies the Minister for Finance to amend rent-a-room relief.

“Airbnb hosts are regular people who share their homes to help make ends meet,” the company says in a pre-budget submission.

“They are typically not businesses or professionals. More than half the hosts we surveyed said they rely on this income to stay in their homes.”

The group said its website had generated more than €66 million in direct and indirect contributions to the Irish economy, and €123.6 million of induced expenditure from jobs supported by Airbnb hosts and guests.

“We believe that regular people who occasionally share their homes to make ends meet should benefit from rent-a-room relief,” Airbnb said.

It is understood the Department of Finance has examined the situation of Airbnb hosts and others availing of short-term residential income.

However, it is likely that measure to address the rent-a-room anomalies will not emerge until the Finance Bill, if at all.