Malaysia nears completion of short-term rental guidelines
Registration and licensing requirements are planned, while a proposed operating limit of 180 nights annually has undergone an impact assessment.
Malaysia is reviewing revised guidelines for short-term rental accommodation (STRA) ahead of cabinet consideration, Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu said. The proposed framework seeks to standardise regulation nationwide.
The government intends to make registration and compliance with local licensing conditions mandatory before premises can legally operate, she said. The guidelines would also address safety, cleanliness, management of operations and operators’ duties towards neighbouring communities.
Aiman Athirah said digital platforms were being encouraged to check licences automatically before allowing property listings, and to take down those involving unlicensed accommodation or regulatory breaches. She also noted that the Strata Management Act 2013 gives joint management bodies and management corporations mechanisms to enforce by-laws.
An annual operating ceiling of 180 nights remains a proposal. Aiman Athirah said an assessment undertaken while developing the initial framework examined regulatory compliance costs, possible rental earnings, implications for hotels and tourism, accommodation pricing and consumer options. Government revenue, safety and community welfare were also considered.
Any decision on that ceiling must weigh owners’ income opportunities against tourism requirements while keeping safety, public order and residents’ welfare central, she said.
Replying to Syerleena Abdul Rashid (PH-Bukit Bendera), she said PLANMalaysia was developing the guidelines alongside tourism officials, states and local authorities. After cabinet consideration, the document would proceed to the National Council for Local Government for agreement before adoption at state and local levels.
