Why we need a bespoke approach to managing energy in short-term lettings: a relational case study of domestic decarbonisation in England

Extended abstract 7-092-26

Short-term lettings (STLs) have grown rapidly in England, concentrated in cities, national parks, and coastal towns. While policy debates focus on housing affordability and social impacts, the link between STLs and building energy efficiency remains unexplored. Simultaneously, domestic decarbonisation is critical for meeting UK climate targets.

This research uses Whitstable, Kent, a coastal town with high STL density, to examine whether bespoke, place-based strategies are needed to manage domestic energy demand. It explores how STLs influence local decarbonisation compared to other housing tenures, what social, spatial, and regulatory factors shape energy management in STL-dense areas, and whether tourism dynamics create hidden barriers to retrofit and how policy might address them.

The design is qualitative, combining interviews, participant observation, online forum analysis, and QGIS-based spatial mapping. This mixed-method approach examines structural conditions and lived experiences, revealing how STLs are embedded in Whitstable’s social and regulatory environment.

Fieldwork begins in April. This presentation will share initial findings from spatial mapping and forum analysis. Early patterns show STLs clustering in popular areas link to harder-to-decarbonise buildings. Forum data reveals strong social tensions, raising questions around retrofit decision making, and Intermediaries, management companies, and absentee owners may affect engagement with retrofit. These insights highlight relational barriers and opportunities for accelerating retrofit through targeted local interventions and policy innovation.

Expected results will explore how STL concentration complicates decarbonisation, how owner retrofit attitudes vary, and how fragmented ownership and community tension shape decisions. By introducing STLs as a distinct tenure within energy debates, this research addresses an overlooked nexus in policy and practice, contributing to energy and tourism literature.

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