Welsh estate and letting agents are being asked to help with research into how Welsh Government policy and other factors are affecting the housing market in parts of Wales popular with visitors.
Wales Tourism Alliance and Propertymark are inviting property agents to participate in a series of round table meetings in early October to share their evidence, which will be presented to the Cabinet Secretary, Jayne Bryant MS, in November.
The work is being carried out in partnership with destination management/marketing organisations Mid Wales Tourism, North Wales Tourism and Visit Pembroke to try to better understand the effect of various Welsh Government policies in those areas.
The Wales Tourism Alliance represents a variety of tourism businesses and organisations across Wales through its members who are leaders of different sectors within the industry. They also work with partners from other industries in the economy on common causes.
Suzy Davies, Wales Tourism Alliance Chair, said:
“There are a range of reasons why owners are selling up in areas of Wales where tourism is a major part of the local economy. However, the Welsh Government’s own research suggests that its policies are a number one concern with professional holiday accommodation businesses inadvertently caught up in the drive to control the number of second homes.
“Current observations suggest that second homes coming back onto the market are not improving the supply of affordable housing for local people. At the same time, genuine local businesses, misdescribed as second homes, are also having to sell up when they aren’t really the policy’s target – again without providing efficient, affordable homes.
“However, we wanted to test what we were told by our own members by gathering feedback from estate agents about what is happening to the housing market in these parts of Wales; whether Welsh Government policy is achieving its stated aims, and what any collateral damage looks like.”
Propertymark is the leading professional body for property agents and is entirely independent of the Wales Tourism Alliance.
Their Policy and Campaigns Officer, Tim Thomas, said:
“Propertymark is very happy to act as an independent partner to this important research. The Welsh Government has implemented a series of policies to regulate short-term and holiday lets in Wales. I am confident our members and any other property agents wishing to take part in the study will provide insightful feedback on the impact the legislation is having on housing, tourism and the overall impact on the Welsh economy.”
Property agents wishing to take part in the online round table meetings on October 7 and 8 are invited to contact either the Wales Tourism Alliance at bethan@wta.org.uk or policy@propertymark.co.uk. Numbers are limited. Written observations are also welcome. The organisations said that contributions to the report to be shared with the Cabinet Secretary can be anonymised if required.
