Fife Short-Term Let Control Area: ASSC Consultation Response and Member Guidance

The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) welcomes the opportunity to respond to Fife Council’s consultation on short-term let (STL) Planning Control Areas (PCAs).

We have consistently supported proportionate, evidence-based regulation. However, we must be equally clear: the proposal to introduce a Short-Term Let (STL) Control Area in Fife is not evidence-based, will not resolve housing issues, and threatens a vital part of Fife’s tourism economy.

The ASSC response highlights the importance of evidence-based policymaking, pointing out some key facts relating to the economic contribution of short-term lets:

• In Scotland, STLs make up just 0.8% of dwellings, and full-time STL units (known as “Secondary Lets”) comprise only 0.8% of Scotland’s total housing stock.
• Empty homes, many of which lie idle for years, account for 3.6% of the housing stock, more than four times the impact of STLs.
• According to BiGGAR Economics, STLs in Fife contribute £80 million GVA annually and support 2,721 jobs.
• Self-catering accounts for just 1% of total dwellings in Fife, compared to 3.2% long-term empty homes and 1.3% second homes.
• Official FOI data confirms that in Fife, there are 2,733 empty homes and 2,200 long-term empty homes, compared to only 1,772 STL licence applications for secondary lets.
• The economic output of a two-bedroom STL in Fife is £44,214 per year, compared to just £10,434 for a private dwelling.

Lessons from other local authorities, for example Edinbugh, where a city wide control area is in place, a dramatic reduction in STL supply has not led to lower rents or improved access to affordable housing. Rents rose sharply in 2024: +14% for two-bedroom properties and +17.3% for three-bedroom properties. Edinburgh has also been ranked as the most expensive place to stay in western Europe for city breaks. These trends directly disprove the notion that STLs are pricing residents out of homes. If removing them had any meaningful impact, rents would have fallen. They did not.

In Fife, self-catering accounts for only 1% of housing, yet supports 2,721 jobs and contributes £80 million annually to the local economy. That is money in the pockets of local people and businesses throughout Fife.

Short-term letting adds to the diverse range of accommodation available within Fife and responds to consumer trends towards more authentic local experiences. Traditional short-term letting activity, such as self-catering, is a small local business like any other, with dedicated full-time professionals striving to provide positive experiences for guests and visitors.
But crucially, the benefits ripple far beyond the operators themselves:

• Cleaners, laundry providers, decorators, joiners, gardeners, and tradespeople all depend on the steady work generated by short-term lets.
• Local producers – from bakers to soap makers – supply welcome packs and guest amenities, growing their own businesses while showcasing Fife’s local offer.
• Hospitality and retail – guests spend in cafés, restaurants, shops, and attractions, often more than locals, providing essential year-round trade that keeps businesses viable.
• Tech and service providers – from booking platforms to digital guestbooks, short-term lets also support an extended supply chain of innovation and digital services.

Every booking, therefore, represents a web of onward benefits: jobs, skills, contracts, and visitor spend circulating in Fife’s economy. A short-term let is not “just a house” – it is a whole ecosystem sustaining communities.

Our message is clear: you will not solve a housing crisis by initiating a crisis in Scottish tourism.
Attention must shift to the real causes of the housing crisis and stop scapegoating self-catering.

👉You can read the full ASSC Consultation Response here

👉 ASSC Guidance for Members to Respond to Fife STL Consultation

Fiona Campbell MBE, CEO of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, said:

“Fife’s self-catering sector plays a vital and often underappreciated role in sustaining the local economy, supporting over 2,700 jobs and generating £80m every year. The guest spend from self-catering means more money spent in local shops, restaurants, attractions across the region. 

While we fully support proportionate and evidence-based regulation, there is currently no clear justification for introducing short-term let (STLs) control areas in Fife. STLs make up just 1% of local housing stock – dwarfed by the numbers of economically inactive empty homes – and there is no data to suggest that self-catering is driving housing shortages. Indeed, there are currently over three times the number of empty homes in Fife compared to STLs. 

There is a real risk to local livelihoods and tourism if onerous STL restrictions are imposed without a strong and compelling evidence base. What is required is a holistic, joined-up approach – not scapegoating small and micro businesses that have operated responsibly for years. 

We therefore urge anyone who values local tourism to make their voices heard before the consultation closes next week. The ASSC stands ready to work with Fife Council for a balanced policy that protects both communities and local economies.”

The ASSC stresses the importance of ensuring any future regulation is fair, evidence-led, and reflective of the sector’s true impact in Fife. With the consultation deadline fast approaching, operators are strongly encouraged to submit their response to help safeguard the future of self-catering in the region.