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Jimmy, the focus of the discussion on Airbnb and Apartment buildings is quite correctly on planning issues – as you say, it is wrong to force buildings currently zoned “residential only” to accept holiday lets of entire apartments.
But that does not assist many owners, particularly in high-rise buildings (4+ storeys) because their zoning is often a mixed residential and commercial zoning. For example, buildings with retail or professional shop fronts on the ground floor and residential above.
The focus for these mixed use buildings needs to be more upon whether the building was designed for, and suitable for, use as serviced apartments. Serviced apartments are a more ‘aggressive’ or ‘intensive’ use than owner-occupied residential or long term residential tenancies (more than 90 days).
Interestingly enough, some of the problems that arise from using a building designed for owner-occupancy or long term rental for serviced apartments were highlighted in recent NSW Supreme Court decision involving Meriton Suites.
As you know Meriton builds apartments. In recent years it has reserved some high rise towers for use as serviced apartments, which it calls Meriton Suites.
Because they are not designed or constructed to be as robust as a hotel, they suffer major service disruptions. Some examples are: lifts out of service (due to heavy rain), lift delays, phone lines down, no hot water, computer issues affecting service for guests, evacuation of a floor due to gas leak, lost power, excessive construction noise next door.
To read my case note on the decision click this link https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=8119788f-07c4-463e-9a6c-020dc7bace27
In my view, this question needs to be asked (and answered) – Is a serviced apartment use in my building suitable given its design and construction?