A MAJORITY of MSPs on a Holyrood committee have backed plans to introduce a licensing scheme for short-term let properties in Scotland.
However, a minority on the Local Government Committee felt a registration scheme would be more appropriate as it placed fewer burdens on owners.
Under the Scottish Government’s plans, all Airbnb-style properties will need to have a licence from councils by 2024.
In December, the committee heard evidence from a number of groups in favour and opposed to the plans.
READ MORE: Short-term lets ‘used for drugs, prostitution, and puppy farms', MSPs told
Amanda Cupples, Airbnb’s general manager for northern Europe, told the MSPs that hosts were “bewildered” by the proposals as she sought to highlight the impact of short-term lets on the tourism economy.
Tomorrow’s meeting will be our final evidence session on the proposed short-term licensing scheme.
— Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee (@SP_LocalGov) December 20, 2021
We will hear from @ShonaRobison before we then vote on the proposed scheme.
📺Watch live from 10.00 am at: https://t.co/wHS3wXN9X9 pic.twitter.com/7GI9Ol0nDF
Police Scotland also contributed to the committee’s inquiry, raising concerns about criminality associated with short-term lets.
The force said some of these properties had been used for drug-dealing, prostitution and as fronts for puppy farming operations.
A Holyrood committee took evidence in December (Jane Barlow/PA)
In a report published on Wednesday, the committee said they had been persuaded that police and councils needed greater powers to tackle antisocial behaviour and criminality.
It said: “The committee also notes the preference for a registration scheme as expressed to it by some witnesses.
“A minority of members found these arguments persuasive and would prefer for there to be a registration scheme, considering it to be a more proportionate response.
READ MORE: Will licensing of Airbnb just become another revenue stream for lazy councils?
“A majority of members, however, were persuaded of the need for a licensing scheme primarily on the basis that a registration scheme would not give local authorities and Police Scotland the powers they need to tackle antisocial behaviour and criminality associated with some short-term lets.”
The report said the impact of short-term lets on the tourism sector was unclear and stressed the importance of a review taking place in 2023.
The committee also considered submissions from Community Land Scotland and a petition from the tenants union Living Rent, who wanted to see powers to tackle overprovision of short-term lets reintroduced into the legislation.
MSPs on the committee said it was not possible to amend the current licensing order and said the issue should be revisited by the Scottish Government’s review in 2023.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here