Last December the Scottish Government set out the Licensing of Short-term Lets Order 2021 outlining how short-term lets across Scotland would be controlled to allow local authorities to tackle issues caused by the rapid growth of short term lets.
Edinburgh Council had approved the draft licensing proposals which included a requirement for change of use and for properties to meet specific safety standards.
It was expected that councils would have time to identify areas to be proposed for Short-Term Lets Control and that timescales for licensing would kick off in Spring 2021, however following widespread criticism of the order, it has been withdrawn by the Minister for Housing.
The intention is to re-lay the Order in June, pending the outcome of the May election, and to keep to the same timetable as was previously set out. This will give the Scottish Government time to carry out further stakeholder engagement before providing draft guidance to ensure members have all information available to consider the Order.
The original Order set out the following timescales and the expectation is that the Scottish Government will stick to this same timetables once finally launched;
- 1st April 2022 – local authorities open licensing scheme
- 1st April 2023 – all existing hosts to have made an application for a license
- 1st April 2024 – all hosts providing short-term let accommodation to be licensed
It’s been a very difficult 12 months for hosts of short-term lets with bookings all but disappearing during the global pandemic. With licensing of short-term lets looming, many hosts are making the decision to move their property over to long-term letting for a more straightforward, reliable letting option.
If you’re considering transferring your property over to long-term lets, follow our simple 3 step guide to transferring your property over to Umega:
