The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has called for a tightening of rules for companies such as Airbnb, that operate in the sharing economy.
The association said it had concerns that some users of the sites renting out houses and rooms were essentially becoming illegal hotels, by avoiding regulations and tax.
It is also calling for a crack down on owners of multiple properties who let them all out on the websites. In London alone it is thought this could account for as many as two in five properties.
In addition the BHA is demanding compliance with rules in London, which state that 90 days is the maximum a property can be let out to visitors without planning permission.
The BHA has proposed that sites are set up to restrict hosts from letting beyond 90 days and notify the relevant authorities - such as HMRC and local government - about hosts who are letting entire or multiple properties.
It has drawn up a list of six questions that it believes would support greater transparency and provide a more robust assessment of the impact of intermediary websites such as Airbnb on tourism, tax, housing and communities in London.
The questions are: