FREMANTLE council is set to give small BnB operators a break in this year’s budget after they were inadvertently scooped up in higher rates intended for bigger players.

Following the Cook government forcing all short term accommodation providers onto a register in 2024, the council automatically lifted them all onto its commercial rates.

There was an outcry from small operators who only rented out a room while continuing to live in the home, saying it made them unviable and had an impact on their opportunity to socialise and stay connected to people.

But mayor Ben Lawver told the Herald by the time councillors found out, it was too late to make changes to last year’s budget, something he hopes will be cleared up this time around.

Mr Lawver said the state’s register made a distinction between hosted accommodation and straight AirBnB-style options, and it was the latter the council was trying to discourage with higher rates because of WA’s housing crisis.

Next week the council will vote on the differential rates to send out for public comment, with staff recommending a rate of $0.07 in the dollar for residential properties and $0.10 for commercial properties.

Mr Lawver said with the current global situation and cost-of-living pressures, the council was looking towards a modest budget to soften the impact on ratepayers.

by STEVE GRANT