Short-term lets

Overview

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 was passed in January 2022 and came into force on 1 March 2022.

The effect of that Order was that from 1 October 2022 (subsequently changed to 1 October 2024), the use of accommodation for a short-term let was an activity for which a licence is required under the terms of the 1982 Act.

The aims of the licensing scheme are to:

ensure all short-term lets are safe;
facilitate licensing authorities in knowing and understanding what is happening in their area; and
assist with handling complaints and address issues faced by neighbours effectively.

An amendment Order came into force on 30 August 2024. All amendments have been incorporated into the new Short Term Let Licensing Policy Statement and recently considered at the Council’s Civic Licensing Committee on 14 November 2024 (Report 337/24 and associated appendices refers)

Further information is available in the sections below.

Licence types and periods

Licence types

There are four types of licence for short-term let accommodation:

Secondary letting

The letting of property where you do not normally live.

Home letting

Using all or part of your own home for short-term lets whilst you are absent.

Home sharing

Using all or part of your own home for short-term lets whilst you are there.

Home letting and home sharing

You operate short-term lets from your own home while you are living there and also for periods when you are absent.

Licence periods

Grant

Up to three years.

Renewal

Up to six years.

Variation

Remainder of licence period.

Transfer

Remainder of licence period.

Provisional

A provisional licence application may be made where the premises are yet to be, or are in the course of being, constructed for use as a short-term let and requires to be confirmed within 3 years of grant.

Confirmation of provisional

An application for confirmation of provisional licence requires to be confirmed within 3 years from date of grant and has no effect until confirmed.

Temporary

A temporary licence may be granted for a period of up to six weeks and will remain in place until the full licence is determined. (including any appeal).

The application form for a temporary licence is the same as for a full licence application. The council will determine the temporary licence within six months of the application being submitted.

Temporary exemption

No more than three separate periods of temporary exemptions where the total period does not exceed 6 weeks in any period of 12 months.

Next: Application timescales