HOUSING minister Paul McLennan has doubled down on the details of the short term lets licensing scheme and urged MSPs to encourage hosts to apply before the deadline.
It comes as the Scottish Conservatives are set to force a vote in Parliament on Wednesday in a bid to delay the scheme for a further 12 months.
Short-term let owners have until October 1, after an initial six-month delay, to sign up for the scheme, with the Scottish Government insisting that none have been refused so far.
McLennan sent a letter out to all MSPs on Tuesday saying it is “strongly in the interests” of short-term let operators to go through the application process. He added that “many thousands already have done”.
READ MORE: Third of MSPs calling for short term lets delay lobbied by AirBnb
As of September 5, data from 27 council public registers showed 3,537 licences have already been granted, while a further 3,643 are being considered.
The minister said that transitional arrangements are in place to allow hosts to continue operating while they await approval, and vowed to look into other ways to simply the process including “making it more straightforward to transfer a licence to a new operator” and update Parliament in due course.
Many of the concerns around the scheme exist due to the costs which are expected to be incurred as a result of applying, with hosts estimating differing amounts could be paid in individual council areas, resulting in some paying thousands.
However, McLennan’s letter tells MSPs that “councils must charge fees that are reflective of the costs incurred in processing the application and associated administration”, with average costs for a three-year licence estimated to be around £260 for home sharing of a double room and up to £520 for a secondary letter with a maximum occupancy of 10.
His letter states: “Many operators should not need to incur significant costs in complying with the mandatory safety aspects of the scheme especially if they are already running a business, which is in compliance with existing relevant legislation.”
And in an appeal to MSPs, he said: “I hope that you will support and encourage hosts to apply, especially existing hosts that must apply by October 1 to qualify to continue operating until their licence is determined.”
READ MORE: Scottish Tories respond after backlash over deleted Murdo Fraser tweet
Ahead of the debate, Scottish Greens MSP Ariane Burgess said the scheme would help communities which are experiencing the impact of soaring numbers of holiday lets.
She said: “This legislation has been a long time coming, and it will make a real difference. It is a watershed moment for housing in Scotland. Everyone should have access to a warm and affordable home.
“There is, of course, a place for well-managed holiday lets. Yet, from villages in the Highlands and Islands to busy tenement stairwells of our cities, homes are being crowded out by holiday lets. This is driving up prices and hollowing out our communities.
“The debate has focused a lot on the views of holiday let owners, but it is also vital that we hear from the families who are coping with increasing rents, the young people striving to get their first home and the community groups who want to see a better balance between weekly stays and more stable communities.”
Speaking ahead of the debate, Scottish Tory business and tourism spokesman Murdo Fraser (below) said: “Ministers must see sense, listen to businesses and pause these destructive plans before it’s too late.”
The Tory MSP added: “This scheme – however well-intended some of its provisions are – is going to have huge and catastrophic unintended consequences if it goes ahead next month.
“It was designed to tackle problem city-centre units, but B&Bs, guest houses and those seeking house-swap arrangements will now be hit with crippling additional costs and bureaucracy.
“There is a real danger this will destroy small businesses and have a huge knock-on impact on the wider Scottish economy.
“Ministers risk repeating the mistakes of the shambolic deposit return scheme by ignoring the stark warnings of businesses and stubbornly ploughing ahead with a fatally-flawed policy.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel