Campaigning for a change in the law

Inline Policy were commissioned by onefinestay to design and implement a campaign to secure a change in UK law that would allow them to operate in one of their target markets.

The challenge

In 2014, onefinestay, a company offering high-end homes for short-term rent around the world, faced a regulatory hurdle that prevented them from doing business in London. At the time, homeowners in the UK capital were banned from letting out their property for less than three months without explicit planning permission, meaning the business could not operate effectively in this key European market.

They recognised that in order to grow their business, they needed to secure a change in the law to allow London homeowners to let their homes on a short-term basis without the need for planning permission. They sought our help to design a lobbying campaign to achieve this change in the law.

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In order to grow their business, they needed to secure a change in UK law to allow London homeowners to let their homes on a short-term basis without the need for planning permission.

How Inline helped

Inline Policy first helped onefinestay develop what the optimal policy framework would look like if the law were changed. We then crafted a clear set of communications materials explaining the benefits of a change in the law.

With all the materials in place we developed and implemented a lobbying campaign targeting key decision makers and stakeholders, enabling onefinestay to win the support of a number of Parliamentarians.

Successes and ROI

Having won support of these key stakeholders, the UK Government agreed to introduce primary legislation to facilitate a change in law. Our lobbying work continued through the passage of the legislation to ensure it was passed without threatened amendments that would have undermined the benefits of the change. The final text passed into law as part of the Deregulation Act 2015. It is now considered one of the most pragmatic regulations governing the sector across Europe.

onefinestay now offers over 400 homes in London, as well as over 2,500 homes globally, and they are now part of the AccorHotels family, a worldwide leader in hospitality.

Having won support from key stakeholders, the UK Government agreed to introduce primary legislation to facilitate a change in law.

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