The regulation of Airbnb : a property law perspective
| dc.contributor.advisor | Boggenpoel, Z. T. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Lavita, Gisele Chloe | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Law. Dept. of Private Law. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-08-07T12:36:18Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-08-07T12:36:18Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023-03 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (LLD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH SUMMARY : Currently, short-term rental operations like Airbnb are not regulated by national legislation in South Africa. This dissertation determines the implications of shortterm rental operations like Airbnb on the relevant South African role-players, namely (a) hosts; (b) guests; (c) neighbours; (d) the tourism industry; (e) the hospitality industry; and (f) the South African Government. The overarching intention of this dissertation is to determine the impact of short-term rental operations on the rights, obligations, and remedies of neighbours within the South African short-term rental context. In this light, this dissertation explores the current legal position of short-term rental operations in South Africa. Furthermore, the legislation applicable to shortterm rentals and the potential challenges of short-term rental operations is explored. Additionally, the potential implications that the Tourism Amendment Bill of 2019 may have on role-players in the short-term rental context is discussed. The study also explores the applicability of landlord-tenant law in the Airbnb short-term rental context. In particular, the research is centered on determining whether Airbnb hosts can be regarded as landlords and whether Airbnb guests can be regarded as tenants. To this end, the Airbnb terms of service are contrasted with the principles of a lease agreement to determine whether the Airbnb host-guest agreement can be regarded as a lease agreement. This exposition indicates the potential rights, obligations and remedies that would be applicable to Airbnb hosts and guests if they amount to landlords and tenants. The dissertation also establishes the potential implications of neighbour law on short-term rental operations in South Africa. Specifically, emphasis is placed on determining whether a neighbour has a nuisance law claim when they experience an interference with the use and enjoyment of their property due to a host’s shortterm rental operations. In this regard, the research considers case law regarding nuisances to determine potential situations where a short-term host’s behaviour could be regarded as posing an unlawful nuisance that is actionable under the common law. This exploration is relevant in determining the factors courts may consider when hearing a nuisance matter in the short-term rental context. Consequently, this dissertation considers the neighbour law remedies that may be available to neighbours whose property rights are infringed by a short-term host’s rental operations. In this regard, the requirements of the relevant neighbour law remedies are discussed to determine what a neighbour must prove to rely on the various remedies available. Furthermore, this dissertation investigates whether the neighbour of a short-term rental host may have a section 25(1) claim for an unconstitutional arbitrary deprivation of property. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the remedies available to neighbours of short-term hosts who experience property interferences due to short-term rental operations. Finally, this dissertation explores three regulatory approaches to short-term rental operations in South Africa, namely: (a) enacting national legislation to govern short-term rental operations; (b) passing municipal by-laws to allow local municipalities to govern short-term rental operations based on the circumstances relevant to short-term rentals in the specific municipality; and (c) leaving short-term rental operations unregulated and allowing contract law to govern the relationship between host and guest. In this regard, case studies of the regulation of Airbnb in London and Berlin are conducted. These case studies examine the consequences of London’s lenient yet clear regulation of short-term rentals in comparison to Berlin’s more stringent regulation of short-term rentals. Based on the case studies conducted and the exploration of the three potential regulatory approaches, this dissertation proposes that the South African Government enacts national legislation regulating short-term rental operations. It is proposed that the relevant national legislation should provide a framework of regulations that are implemented by municipalities based on the local circumstances of each municipality. In this regard, recommendations for the regulation of short-term rental operations are provided. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Korttermynverhuringsbedrywighede soos Airbnb word nie tans deur nasionale wetgewing in Suid-Afrika gereguleer nie. Hierdie proefskrif bepaal die regsimplikasies van korttermynverhuringsbedrywighede soos Airbnb op die betrokke Suid-Afrikaanse rolspelers, te wete (a) gashere; (b) gaste; (c) bure; (d) die toerismebedryf; (e) die gasvryheidsbedryf; en (f) die Suid-Afrikaanse Regering. Die navorsing het ten doel om vas te stel wat die implikasies van korttermynhuurbedrywighede op die regte, verpligtinge en remedies van bure binne die Suid-Afrikaanse korttermynhuurkonteks behels. Hierdie studie ondersoek die huidige regsposisie van korttermynhuurbedrywighede in Suid-Afrika. Daar word oorweging geskenk aan wetgewing wat van toepassing mag wees op korttermynverhurings, aan die potensiële uitdagings van korttermynverhuringsbedrywighede en aan die potensiële implikasies wat die Wysigingswetsontwerp op Toerisme van 2019 op rolspelers in die korttermynhuurkonteks mag hê. Die ondersoek bestudeer die toepaslikheid van verhuurder-huurderwetgewing in die Airbnb-korttermynhuurkonteks. Die navorsing is veral daarop gemik om te bepaal of Airbnb-gashere as verhuurders beskou kan word en of Airbnb-gaste as huurders beskou kan word. Vir hierdie doel word die Airbnb-diensbepalings gekontrasteer met die beginsels van 'n huurooreenkoms om te bepaal of die Airbnbgasheer-gas-ooreenkoms as 'n huurooreenkoms beskou kan word. Hierdie uiteensetting dui die potensiële regte, verpligtinge en remedies aan wat op Airbnbgashere en -gaste van toepassing sal wees indien hul as verhuurders en huurders beskou word. Die proefskrif stel ook die potensiële implikasies van burereg op korttermynhuurbedrywighede in Suid-Afrika vas. Daar word spesifiek daarop gefokus om te bepaal of naburige eienaars 'n eis weens oorlas het wanneer hulle 'n inmenging met die gebruik en genot van hul eiendom ervaar as gevolg van 'n gasheer se korttermynhuurbedrywighede. In hierdie verband word regspraak rakende oorlas oorweeg om potensiële situasies te bepaal waarin 'n korttermyngasheer se gedrag as 'n onregmatige oorlas ingevolge die gemenereg beskou kan word. Hierdie verkenning is relevant om te bepaal watter faktore howe behoort te oorweeg wanneer hulle 'n oorlas aangeleentheid in die korttermynhuurkonteks aanhoor. Gevolglik word die bureregtelike-remedies wat beskikbaar kan wees vir bure wie se inhoudsbevoegdhede deur 'n korttermyngasheer se huurbedrywighede geskend word, ondersoek. In hierdie verband word die vereistes van die tersaaklike bureregtelike remedies bespreek om te bepaal wat 'n naburige eienaar moet bewys om op die verskillende beskikbare remedies te steun. Verder ondersoek die studie of die buurman van 'n korttermynhuurgasheer 'n eis vir 'n ongrondwetlike arbitrêre ontneming van eiendom ingevolge artikel 25(1) van die Grondwet kan hê. Die doel van sodanige ondersoek is om vas te stel watter remedies beskikbaar is vir eienaars wat eiendomsinmengings ervaar as gevolg van naburige korttermynhuurbedrywighede. Laastens ondersoek hierdie proefskrif drie regulatoriese benaderings tot korttermynhuurbedrywighede in Suid-Afrika, naamlik: (a) die uitvaardiging van nasionale wetgewing om korttermynhuurbedrywighede te beheer; (b) die aanneming van munisipale verordeninge om munisipaliteite toe te laat om korttermynhuurbedrywighede plaaslik te beheer, gebaseer op die omstandighede wat relevant is vir korttermynverhurings in die spesifieke munisipaliteit; en (c) om korttermynverhuringsbedrywighede nie spesifiek te reguleer nie en by implikasie te volstaan by die gewone kontrakteregtelike bepalings ten opsigte van die verhouding tussen gasheer en gas. Gevallestudies word onderneem na die regulering van Airbnb in Londen en Berlyn. Hierdie gevallestudies ondersoek die gevolge van Londen se toegeeflike dog duidelike, spesifieke regulering van korttermynhuur in teenstelling met Berlyn se strenger spesifieke regulering van korttermynhuurtransaksies. Gebaseer op die gevallestudies wat uitgevoer is en die verkenning van die drie potensiële regulatoriese raamwerke stel hierdie proefskrif voor dat die SuidAfrikaanse regering nasionale wetgewing instel wat korttermynhuurbedrywighede reguleer. Daar word voorgestel dat die relevante nasionale wetgewing 'n raamwerk van regulasies moet verskaf wat deur munisipaliteite geïmplementeer word gebaseer op die plaaslike omstandighede van elke munisipaliteit. In hierdie verband word aanbevelings vir die spesifieke regulering van korttermynhuurbedrywighede verskaf. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Doctoral | en_ZA |
| dc.embargo.terms | 2023-09-06 | |
| dc.format.extent | xvii, 304 pages | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/127476 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Airbnb (Firm) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Rental housing -- Law and legislation -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Landlord and tenant -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Bed and breakfast accommodations -- Law and legislation -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Neighbors -- South Africa -- Legal status, laws, etc. | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Adjoining landowners -- South Africa -- Legal status, laws, etc. | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Vacation rentals -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Bed and breakfast accommodations -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Hospitality industry -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.name | UCTD | |
| dc.title | The regulation of Airbnb : a property law perspective | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |