According to legislation now before the Scottish Parliament, councils would be granted the authority to guarantee that short-term rentals are safe and suit the requirements of their local communities.
The legislation was developed in response to the concerns expressed by residents across Scotland
Each short term let will need get a licence for their rental, existing hosts and operators will have until April 2023 to apply. By the beginning of July 2024, all short-term rentals in Scotland will be required to get a licence. Any new short-term lets after October 2022 will be required to obtain a license before being allowed to rent their property.
Residents across Scotland expressed serious concerns about the impact of short-term rentals on their communities, including noise, antisocial behaviour, and the impact on the availability of housing in some areas.
The end goal is to guarantee that the needs and concerns of communities are balanced against the objectives of the broader economic and tourist sectors.