Short-term let businesses should not miss October licence deadline – minister

Businesses and homeowners offering overnight accommodation have been urged not to miss out on the deadline to apply for a short-term let application.

Property owners wishing to let their properties out on a short-term basis must apply to the Scottish Government’s licensing scheme before the October 1 deadline to ensure they can continue trading.

Under the new rules, those who operated short-term lets before October 1 2022 can still accept bookings until an application is determined, however, the licensing request must be submitted before the deadline in two months.

Owners who started their operations after October 2022 cannot start trading until they have obtained a licence from their local authority.

Housing minister Paul McLennan urged hosts to sign up to support the introduction of regulations which will keep owners and tourists safe.

He said: “Short-term let accommodation plays an important role in Scotland’s economy, supporting our tourism and hospitality sector and allowing tourists and holiday-goers somewhere to take them closer to the best that Scotland can offer.

“However, it is also important that there is appropriate regulation in place to ensure the safety of guests, and so that local authorities can make decisions that are right for their local areas.

“That’s why the Scottish Government has introduced the short-term lets licensing scheme.”

He added: “Visitors coming to Scotland can already expect to see the benefits of properties being licensed and meeting specific standards.

“Meanwhile, the thousands of short-term let operators who provide a quality service can have the assurance that would-be competitors have to meet licensing standards as well.

“There are only two months to go until the October 1 deadline so I would urge anyone who owns short-term let accommodation – and has yet to apply – to do so as soon as possible to ensure you can still take bookings and welcome guests from far and wide.”

The policy previously came under criticism over the impact it could have on the tourism and economy sector, with the initial March 2023 deadline pushed back by six months.