EDITOR'S COMMENT
• Tensions over the Scottish licensing scheme are reaching a head, and time is running out for opponents of the scheme to prevent it from taking effect on October 1st.
SNP leader Humza Yousaf has already ruled out a second extension to the deadline, but the Conservatives are making a play for a last minute reprieve.
Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross called Yousaf's decision “bitterly disappointing”, adding that many short-term let businesses would have little option but to close down if the October 1st date is adhered to.
Ross said the Tories, an opposition party in the Scottish parliament, are planning to hold a debate on future extensions and force through a vote that would delay the introduction of the new regulations.
Fiona Campbell, chief executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers [ASSC], said that the Scottish Government had been “forcing people, under legal duress, to apply for these schemes” and urged the Conservatives to take action to support anxious hosts and property owners.
Under the Scottish scheme, hosts will need to apply for a licence in order to rent out a room or an entire property, and could be liable to fines of up to £2,500 if they do not comply. They will also be required to display energy performance [EPC] ratings and proof that they comply with fire and gas safety precautions on any listings, have adequate buildings, and be covered by public liability insurance.
Licensing is a hot topic worldwide, with debates raging in locations as far ranging as New York, Melbourne, and the UAE. In Scotland, opinion on the scheme appears to be divided sharply along party lines, so the next few weeks will be crucial - and probably extremely rancorous.
Scroll down for the latest industry news.
• Please click here if you have a story you want us to tell the industry, or would like to be considered for a feature, podcast or webinar.
For more information and sponsorship / creative solutions advice, contact us at info@internationalhospitality.media.
