Short-term lets rethink hailed

The signalling by the Scottish Government that it is set to revise its draft shortterm lets licensing order – which many feared would have been “catastrophic” for Scotland’s £867m selfcatering industry – has been met with relief by the sector.

Fiona Campbell, chief executive of the Association of Scotland’s Selfcaterers, said her organisation endorsed the proposals to remove overprovision from the licensing regime and the recognition that the Government’s objective should be about ensuring health and safety across all short-term lets – rather than being used as an indirect method of addressing housing issues.

However she added that the devil lay in the detail of the reassessment and conversations remained ongoing: “A number of important industry concerns remain, most notably the disproportionate financial impact of licensing fees on small and micro tourism accommodation businesses who are still in survival mode due to the pandemic.”

Scottish Land and Estates also welcomed the move, with its chief executive Sarahjane Laing stating that it showed that the administration was willing to listen to the concerns of stakeholders who had expressed fears that the original order would have had a catastrophic impact .

“We recognise that there are real issues in some parts of the country and a proportionate response is needed, which this looks to be. As a continuing member of the short-term lets stakeholder group, we are determined to work with the Scottish Government to find a workable solution for all,” said Laing.