Hosts and operators of short-term lets in Perth and Kinross will now have to apply for a licence as the new legislation came into effect on Saturday 1st of October 2022.
The legislation was approved by the Scottish Government earlier this year in an attempt to improve how short-term lets in Scotland are regulated, with the operation of temporary lets increasingly becoming an issue across Scotland, particularly with anti-social behaviour affecting neighbours and local communities.
Convenor of the Licensing Committee, Bailie Mike Williamson, said: “This new licensing scheme will help Perth & Kinross Council ensure short-term lets in the area are suitable, safe, and that any concerns from neighbours are addressed effectively. This legislation aims to make sure that the economic and tourism benefits from short-term lets will be balanced with the needs and concerns of our local communities.”
The scheme will apply to a wide range of temporary let properties including self-catered properties, B&B’s, guest houses, glamping pods and yurts, and with some limited exemptions, all short-term lets will need to be licensed.
The legislation applies to all four types of short-term lets, these are:
– Secondary letting
– Home letting
– Home sharing
– Home letting and Home sharing
It will be a criminal offence to not have licences for your properties and hosts and operators that continue to operate without a licence can be charged up to £2,500.
From 1st of October 2022, new hosts and operators will be required to have a license for all their short-term let properties before they can accept bookings or receive guests. For hosts and operators who have been providing temporary lets on their properties since before the 1st of October, they will have until Thursday, 23rd of March 2023 to apply for a license on their properties and will be able to accept bookings and receive guests while their applications are being processed.
To learn more about the legislation and to apply for a licence visit, www.pkc.gov.uk/article/22511/Short-Term-Lets.