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I received the email regarding the SA talking points yesterday. It opens up acknowledging how busy January is for the profession, and then goes on to offer a series of talking points meetings in January, thus diverting further time away from SA.
"AirBNB lowers price gap due to tax advantage"
No it doesn't. The people who let their rooms out don't (for the most part) charge VAT because they are under the VAT threshold. If a B&B happened to be under the threshold and was advertising in the Warmington-on-Sea Herald, would they say that the Herald was lowering B&B prices?
That's what Airbnb is. A modern place for lettings' businesses to advertise. And Airbnb charges VAT on the services IT provides, leaving the B&B/homeowner to charge VAT on the services IT is providing, if they are over the threshold.
Airbnb don't own the properties, don't rent them out, don't service them. They just advertise them. The VAT point is just ridiculous.
Same with the rent-a-room relief. How do Airbnb benefit from that? They don't but the homeowner might.
It's just another 'bash an internet company' media story run by people who either don't understand how tax works or are willfully misleading people.
Besides, how can you compare a 200 room hotel with somebody letting their spare room out at the weekends? Do people not think the former might have higher overheads and need to charge more?