Unfortunately impossible to check the PID-STRA… So their system is pretty useless to management.
One way to check is to look at that ads on the holiday letting sites. The rego number has to be on the ad. Otherwise, ask the host to provide proof that they have registered, reminding them that not to have done so is a serious offence.
This is what the STRA code of conduct says:
2.4.11. …before advertising or offering premises for the purposes of entering into short-term rental accommodation arrangements, a host must ensure that the host and the premises are registered on the premises register. This section is an offence provision under section 54C of the Act.
And this is what section 54C says: “A short-term rental accommodation industry participant who contravenes a provision of a code of conduct that is identified by the code as an offence provision is guilty of an offence. Maximum penalty—1,000 penalty units in the case of a corporation or 200 penalty units in any other case.”
In layman’s terms, one penalty unit is currently $110, therefore 1000 penalty units equals $110,000 and 200 penalty point equals $22,000. Also two “strikes”, as in serious breaches of the Code of Conduct, can lead to the unit, host or guests being struck off the STRA register and forbidden from letting or renting holiday lets.
So a polite letter asking them for proof that they have registered, followed by something quoting the law if they tell you to “nick off”. If they ignore that, it could be your trigger for a complaint to see if they really are registered.