It has been announced that a deadline for existing hosts on AirBnb and other short-term rental platforms to register with the Scottish Government has been extended.
In a letter to the Local Government Committee of the Scottish Parliament, Cabinet Secretary for Housing Shona Robison confirmed that the SNP/Green administration was delaying mandatory registration from April 1 next year to October 1.
Many lobby groups had lobbied the Scottish government saying registration would worsen the cost of living crisis for existing hosts using AirBnb and other platforms, and hurt Scotland’s tourism industry.
In the letter, Robison says it’s a ‘one-time’ six-month extension acknowledging the wider economic circumstances of the cost-of-living crisis which is putting pressure on hosts and short-term rental businesses. term as they organize and budget for work to comply with new licensing requirements.
Robison continues: “We do not intend to propose to change the arrangements for new hosts, who will still need to obtain a license before they can accept reservations and receive guests. This confirms the aim of the introduction of licensing, which is to ensure that all new short-term rentals across Scotland meet mandatory conditions (including safety standards) and are provided by competent and competent people .
“I am satisfied that the current legislation still allows the sector to develop, with the authorities having the discretion to consider license applications from potential buyers of short-term let businesses with the consent of the current owner.
“In light of this proposed amendment to extend the application deadline for existing hosts, I am reviewing the scope and timing of the licensing review that we intended to undertake in the summer of 2023. J I will inform the Committee about this in due course.”
Labor and Liberal Democrat councilors in Edinburgh, who have seen the rapid proliferation of AirBnbs and other short-term rentals, have denounced the delay as “collapse” and “shameful”.
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