Airbnb hosts' identities could be shared to prevent illegal renting

Plan for register follows complaints in UK of council homes used for holiday lets

Airbnb hosts could have their identities shared for the first time to prevent illegal short-term rents and the use of scarce council housing as holiday accommodation.

The San Francisco-based property rental platform will this week begin drawing up plans for a register of hosts after pressure from politicians and community leaders across the UK who have complained they are powerless to act when whole blocks are sometimes overrun by short-term rentals.