Council's use of short-term accommodation platforms-specifically Airbnb-
Case reference FOI2026/00650
Received 26 June 2026
Published 24 July 2026
Request
Response
In accordance with section 1(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), Oxford City Council (OCC) confirms that it holds information falling within the scope of your request.
1. Usage and Expenditure
(a)Does the council book properties via Airbnb (either directly or via
an external agency/intermediary) to use as emergency or temporary
housing for unhoused individuals/families?
No. OCC does not book accommodation through Airbnb, either directly or through an external agency or intermediary.
(b)What is the total financial expenditure by the council on booking
Airbnb properties for this purpose for each of the last five complete
financial years (2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26),
broken down by year?
As OCC does not book accommodation through Airbnb, its expenditure on Airbnb accommodation for this purpose was nil in each of the requested financial years
.
In accordance with section 16 of the FOIA, which concerns the duty to provide reasonable advice and assistance, OCC has also provided the alternative information requested concerning its wider expenditure on nightly-paid emergency accommodation.
|
Financial year |
Total nightly-paid accommodation cost |
|
2021/22 |
£141,105.88 |
|
2022/23 |
£136,896.08 |
|
2023/24 |
£731,893.32 |
|
2024/25 |
£2,974,432.72 |
|
2025/26 |
£3,748,318.86 |
These figures relate to OCC’s total nightly-paid emergency accommodation costs and should not be interpreted as expenditure on Airbnb properties.
2. Council Policies and Disclosures
(a) What is the council's official policy or procedure regarding
informing Airbnb property owners/hosts that the booking is being made
by the local authority to house a homeless client?
OCC does not hold a policy or procedure specific to informing Airbnb property owners or hosts, because it does not book accommodation through Airbnb.
(b) What is the council's official policy or contractual agreement
regarding paying out for any property damage, anti-social behavior, or
extra cleaning costs caused to an Airbnb property during a placement?
OCC does not hold an Airbnb-specific policy or contractual agreement covering these matters, because it does not make bookings through Airbnb.
3. Compensation Payments
(a) How much money has the council paid out in compensation, damages,
extra cleaning fees, or dispute resolution payments directly to Airbnb
hosts or via the Airbnb platform for each of the last five complete
financial years (2021/22 to 2025/26), broken down by year?
As OCC does not book accommodation through Airbnb, it made no compensation, damages, additional cleaning fee or dispute-resolution payments directly to Airbnb hosts or through the Airbnb platform during the requested period.
If you disagree with any part of the response to your request, you are entitled to ask the Council for an internal review of the decision(s) made. You may do this by writing to the Monitoring Officer, by either email monitoringofficer@oxford.gov.uk – or by post to Monitoring Officer, Oxford City Council, Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1BX. After the result of the internal review, if you remain dissatisfied, you may ask the Information Commissioner to intervene on your behalf. You may do this by writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Officer
| Freedom of Information Team | Law & Governance | Oxford City Council | Town Hall | St Aldate’s | Oxford | OX1 1BX |
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