We worked with ASSC and other tourism organisations in Scotland to lobby against the Short Term Lets Licence. A letter to Kevin Stewart, Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, with key concerns highlighted:
- The regulations are ill-timed and inopportune during the pandemic. Many businesses captured by the regulations are focused on their very survival. Numerous Covid-19 restrictions have been placed upon them and uncertainty endures as to when these might be lifted. The prioritisation of the regulations makes even less sense when similar legislation, such as the Transient Visitor Levy, has been rightfully postponed.
- The regulations are a blunt tool to fix a perceived and localised problem of amateur operators in urban areas like Edinburgh, rather than being a solution that is appropriate for the whole of the Scotland. The regulations offer no real flexibility to local authorities where concerns over short-term lets are not an issue. The regulations will hit rural Scotland hard, with many businesses and communities depending on the economic footfall generated by visitors to self-catering accommodation.
- The regulations go beyond what was originally envisaged as B&Bs will be captured by the licensing regime. The Scottish Government’s Short-Term Let Delivery Group did not consult with the B&B sector which we believe would be a basic duty given the impact of the regulations.
- The regulations will be burdensome financially and from a resourcing perspective for local councils. They are already under considerable pressure due to the pandemic and, despite assurances from government that the scheme will be cost neutral, they will not receive any additional funds to assist with start-up costs. Several authorities noted these issues in their consultation responses and Highland Council has called for the implementation of the regulations to be delayed.
View the letter in full.
More about Short Term Lets Licencing here.
