At least 20,000 short-term rental properties in WA would be forced to register their details as part of a mandatory scheme designed to level the playing field with other accommodation providers and give peace of mind to consumers.

Key points: A committee has recommended all short-stay accommodation be registered in WA

A committee has recommended all short-stay accommodation be registered in WA Airbnb says any barriers would have an impact on tourism growth

Airbnb says any barriers would have an impact on tourism growth But hotels welcomed a move to level the playing field for small and large operators

A parliamentary inquiry by the Economics and Industry Standing Committee was set up amid rising tension between owners of licensed short-stay businesses and unlicensed operators who advertise through websites such as Airbnb.

Its report tabled in State Parliament today found WA had experienced a rapid growth in short-term rentals, with at least 20,000 listings available in the state.

But local governments, which are responsible for regulating short-terms rentals, have struggled to address many of the issues associated with the growth and to enforce compliance because of difficulties with locating those breaking the rules.

"Unfortunately some short-term rental owners are not complying with the rules because they are unaware that they exist or they are actively trying to avoid regulation," committee chair Jessica Shaw said.

Restrictions would not be severe

The committee recommended all short-term rentals be registered and be issued a registration number, with an interdepartmental working group set up to help determine exactly how the scheme would be managed.

"Traditional accommodation providers in some parts of the state are seeing that they are providing very similar forms of accommodation to their neighbours, but they are required to meet far higher requirements around building conditions, licensing," Ms Shaw said.

"The requirements are usually imposed by local government and so by requiring registration and then having local government determine what conditions it will allow this form of accommodation to operate under, that will level the playing field," she said.

Committee chair Jessica Shaw said the registration scheme would level the playing field. ( ABC News: Robert Koenig-Luck )

Ms Shaw said it would be up to the working group to determine the details, including the cost and whether it would be publicly available, but said it should not impose severe restrictions.

"There may be only four or five pieces of information that are required to be listed on the register," she said.

"Any conditions of registration will be imposed by local government, so the existence of the registration scheme itself is intended to be [an] incredibly light touch, it's then for local government to determine what's appropriate for local conditions."

'Devil in the detail': Airbnb

Airbnb head of public policy, Brent Thomas, said he supported more data sharing with the Government but said the "devil's in the detail".

"Any barrier at all to home sharing is going to be a cap on tourism, a cap on growth, a cap on jobs," Mr Thomas said.

Airbnb head of public policy Brent Thomas said WA would be the only state to implement across-the-board registration. ( ABC News: Robert Koenig-Luck )

"There is no across-the-board registration scheme in any other state," he said.

"I think again the objective is for the Government to get more information and we support that objective."

Mr Thomas said he was concerned by another recommendation to develop by-laws making it easier for strata companies to either ban or legalise short-term rentals.

Airbnb head of public policy Brent Thomas with Carmen Finn, who rents out the second bedroom in her apartment through Airbnb. ( ABC News: Robert Koenig-Luck )

"If somebody happens to live in a strata building, an apartment or a townhouse, Carmen's one of them, she should not be treated as a second-class citizen just because her home happens to be an apartment or a townhouse," he said.

"She should have the same right to share her home as somebody in a free-standing home."

Hotels back new rules

Australian Hotels Association WA chief executive Bradley Woods said he supported the report in its entirety.

"This report recognises it's not about new or more regulation, it's about legitimising and ensuring that illegal operators actually play in the same playing field as licensed legal operators," Mr Woods said.

Planning Minister Rita Saffioti said the registration was a positive step but the report did not go as far as expected.

"It has some elements, it doesn't go as far as some people thought, I think, in relation to … what can operate as an Airbnb, so hasn't taken the NSW model," Ms Saffioti said.

"So there are some interesting recommendations, it's probably not what I expected, but we will go through and see what recommendations we can implement easily."