Glasgow Kelvin MSP Sandra White has backed an announcement from the Scottish Government for local councils to be given new powers to licence and limit the number of short-term lets, such as AirBNB.
The number of short-term lets in Scotland has risen dramatically in recent years – but evidence shows that in many tourist hotspots locals are finding it increasingly hard to find homes to live in.
The Housing Minister Kevin Stewart outlined the Scottish Government’s plans to establish a licensing scheme for short-term lets and a review of the tax paid by the properties – as well handing councils the power to introduce ‘short-term let control areas’ where the number of AirBNB properties can be restricted through planning permission.
Welcoming the announcement, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin said:
“We must strike a balance between the economic benefits of tourism to Scotland and the impact on local communities.
“In Glasgow Kelvin, and across other tourist hotspots in Scotland, short-term lets such as AirBNB are restricting the number of properties available for those looking for a home to live in.
“The proposals announced by the Scottish Government will give Glasgow City Council new powers to control the number of short-term lets in the local community and ensure they make a fair contribution to the services they use.
“The Scottish Government has outlined a robust and proportionate approach to tackling this serious issue – I’d call on my parliamentary colleagues from across Glasgow to get behind these proposals and help secure real change for the area.”
