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Enforcement – leveling the playing-field :
The Bed & Breakfast Association has long been emphasizing to the Government and to UK regulators that it is of limited use changing legislation or regulations if they are not actually enforced .
In many cases , especially the lack of a level playing-field between ‘ traditional ’ businesses like B & Bs on the one hand , and ‘ hosts ’ on peer-to-peer platforms such as Airbnb on the other , it is not the regulations ( which clearly apply to both business models ) that are the problem , but the lack of enforcement of those regulations on the new business models , while they still continue to be enforced on B & Bs and guest houses .
So the B & B Association welcomes ( as far as it goes ) the Action Plan ’ s somewhat vague statement on this , which reads : The Government has been carrying out a review of Local Authority Regulation and Enforcement , during which evidence was gathered from businesses and local authorities in relation to the fair and consistent enforcement of regulation across business , including tourism businesses .
The Review ’ s objective is to find ways of cutting red tape and reducing bureaucratic barriers to growth and productivity . We would expect tourism businesses to be among those that will benefit from improvements made in light of the review .
The Association will be devoting its efforts to keeping the Government to this promise . We want to see the playing-field between B & Bs and our new competitors fair and level , so we can compete on equal terms .
Whether this is achieved by deregulating for the smallest accommodation owners , or by enforcing the rules fairly and consistently regardless of business model , is less important than the key principle of fair competition on a level playing field .
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