The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) has submitted a robust response to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on the European Affordable Housing Plan, firmly challenging the suggestion that short-term lets (STRs) are to blame for Europe’s housing crisis.
In the submission, ASSC Chief Executive Fiona Campbell welcomes the Commission’s ambition to address housing affordability and sustainability but warns against using STRs as a convenient scapegoat. “The assertion that STRs significantly drive housing unaffordability is analytically flawed and diverts attention from the true structural causes,” she said.
Drawing on Scottish data, the ASSC makes clear that STRs represent a tiny fraction of housing stock – just 1.0% – and that vacant homes, underinvestment in affordable housing, and planning inefficiencies are the real barriers to housing supply. Notably, the submission highlights that in Edinburgh, a sharp decline in short-term let availability did not result in reduced rents. On the contrary, rents rose by over 14% in 2024, contradicting the logic that restricting STRs frees up affordable homes.
The response also stresses the vital economic contribution of short-term lets, particularly in rural and island areas where they often represent the only visitor accommodation available. A typical 2-bedroom STR in Scotland generates over £50,000 in GVA annually and supports more than one job, far exceeding the contribution of long-term residential use.
The ASSC is calling on the European Commission to pursue smart, evidence-led, and locally informed regulation, rather than blanket measures that harm small operators and tourism-reliant communities.
Fiona Campbell concludes: “Europe needs more homes, not fewer visitors. Sensible housing solutions must be based on facts – not fear. The STR sector is not the enemy of affordability, but a crucial part of Europe’s rural resilience and tourism ecosystem.”
You can read the full consultation response here: