No short-term let licence applications refused

There have been 2,587 valid applications for short term lets licences received by local authorities up to 31 March 2023, according to statistics published today by Scotland’s chief statistician.

Local authority licensing schemes opened to receive applications from 1 October 2022, although existing hosts and operators have until 1 October 2023 to apply for a licence and can continue operating whilst their applications are being determined. After this date they will not be able to operate until they make an application and a licence has been granted.

Local authorities with the highest numbers of valid applications received include Highland (920), Dumfries and Galloway (436) and Fife (300), which together account for almost two-thirds (1,656 or 64 per cent) of all valid applications received up to 31 March 2023. There has been a relatively low number of applications for City of Edinburgh (90), Glasgow City (78), and other urban local authorities such as Aberdeen City (32) and Dundee City (18).

Nearly all (2,569 or 99 per cent) of the total 2,587 valid applications received up to 31 March 2023 have been for a full licence, with 9 (0.3 per cent) being for a temporary licence and 9 (0.3 per cent) being for a temporary exemption.

As at 31 March 2023, 1,625 (63 per cent) of the 2,587 valid applications received were awaiting determination, 848 (33 per cent) had been granted with no additional conditions, 102 (3 per cent) had been granted with additional conditions, 12 (0.4 per cent) had been withdrawn, and none had been refused, revoked, suspended or lapsed. Of the 950 applications granted by 31 March 2023, 14 were decided in October to December 2022, and 936 were decided in January to March 2023.

Housing minister Paul McLennan said: “Quality short-term let accommodation is vital to Scotland’s tourism sector and wider economy. It aims to protect the reputation of responsible operators and ensure the sector is regulated in line with other accommodation such as hotels and caravan parks, giving guests assurance of consistent safety standards.

“There has been a lead time of almost two years to the October deadline. Official statistics published today cover only up to the end of March and we know many more hosts have applied in recent months. Operators can take confidence that local authorities are working pragmatically to support new licensees through the application process – and we can see from the information that no completed applications had been rejected in the period, or since.

“So, I would repeat calls to everyone within the industry to back the scheme and encourage short-term let operators to apply for a licence in good time and before the 1 October deadline.”