Buying a Former Airbnb in Perth? What Your Settlement Agent Should Check Before You Take Over the Title
In your search for a property, have you stumbled upon a property in Perth that was formerly an Airbnb?
How this residential settlement will work for such a property will depend on whether you continue to rent out the property to earn income from it, or if you decide to live in it as your primary residence.
You will want to be familiar with recent Western Australian government legislation changes that came into effect in January 2026 to improve regulation around the Short-Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) sector.
With these new laws in place for limited stays in Airbnbs, investment property owners are looking to offload their investment properties quickly, and if you are considering purchasing a property that was previously a source of income, you should know what to look for and how to ensure a smooth transition.
A conveyancer can help you navigate these changes. KDD Conveyancing have helped with residential conveyancing for many former Airbnb properties and can guide you through the property settlement process, conduct the relevant checks on the property title, help you understand your legal and administrative obligations, whether you decide to keep renting it out or live in it.
Perth’s new STRA rules from 1 January 2026: what changed and why it matters to buyers
Short term rental accommodation (STRA) is classified as property that is rented out for a relatively short period. These could be a hosted option whereby the host lives on the property during the short-term stay, or unhosted, where guests have exclusive use of an entire dwelling.
As of 1 January 2025, registration of STRAs became mandatory in Western Australia to support government data driven decision making. In addition, the government introduced changes to planning regulations. These changes support a consistent set of definitions for STRA, ensuring they are treated as a specific type of land use, distinct from ‘traditional accommodation’ such as hotels, motels, and serviced apartments.
If you plan to continue renting out the Airbnb
You may decide that you would like to list the Airbnb yourself for some extra income and know from reviews that the property is popular with regular visitors.
Firstly, Airbnb does not allow the transfer of ownership of a profile or listing, so you will need to create a listing from scratch, which means also building up the reviews. Check that there aren’t any upcoming bookings still scheduled and cancel these stays.
Aside from the business side of running an Airbnb, you will need to ensure the property complies with certain regulations after taking over.
State-wide mandatory STRA register
Firstly, to list a property, you will need to register it on a state-wide register, mandatory for all STRA properties. Registration lasts for one (1) year from registration and will need to be renewed every 12 months.
During the registration process, you may need to show planning (development) approval.
Even if the property is found to be registered, you will need to register it under your name.
Planning approvals
WA Planning Commission recommends contacting your applicable local government for specific requirements, but the guidelines are:
Hosted STRA
Exempt from requiring planning approval within Western Australia.
Unhosted STRA
Leased for 90 days or less within a 12-month period: No development approval required
Development approval is required for unhosted STRA stays that exceed 90 days within a 12 month period
Living in the property as primary residence
If you plan to live in the property and not carry on the Airbnb, first make sure that the previous owner has taken down all their listings for the property across all platforms, as the last thing you will want is someone turning up, thinking they have booked your home for a stay.
Also ensure there are no other spare keys that have been lost or taken by a previous guest by accident (or intentionally).
The checks a conveyancer can perform for a former Airbnb property
This is where a conveyancer can help, conducting the relevant searches and gathering documents to reveal important details about the property that may affect how you use it and any obligations.
Title and council searches to investigate a property’s STRA history
Title and council searches could reveal any restrictions, title issues, if the previous owner obtained relevant approvals, and if there are any outstanding compliance issues against the property.
For example, you may need to check if the property complies with zoning laws for your area that may apply depending on the type of rental you are offering, such as a single room or the entire property.
How strata by-laws affect short term stays
For apartments or units, the strata companies may have strata by-laws that may affect the ability to have guests stay at the accommodation. For example, some may prohibit short-term rentals, while others may have restrictions on noise and guest behaviour. A conveyancer can help retrieve the relevant strata documents
Why choose KDD for residential conveyancing of your Airbnb property
Purchasing a former Airbnb property involves unique considerations to take care of at property settlement whether you decide to carry on with renting it out or prefer to use it as your primary residence. In addition to the new regulations that came in January 2026, many requirements don’t just carry over from the previous owner for the Airbnb accommodation.
KDD Conveyancing’s experience means we know exactly what to look for in a property’s STRA history to understand any outstanding legal and administrative requirements so that you can carry on stress-free with the Airbnb or living in the property.
Get in touch with us to discuss how we can help you with a smooth and stress-free property settlement for the Airbnb property you have found.
