Answered by Shona Robison: There have been no discussions with Police Scotland which have resulted in a delay to implementing the short-term lets licensing scheme.
During 2022 officials have engaged regularly with licensing authorities and partners, including Police Scotland, to prepare for the start of short-term let licensing on 1 October 2022. Police Scotland is now completing fit and proper person checks as part of the process undertaken by licensing authorities to determine licensing applications from new and existing short-term let hosts. Although resourcing is a matter for Police Scotland to consider, they have been planning this for some time and we remain engaged to support this element of the scheme.
In recognition of the wider cost of living crisis that is placing pressure on existing short-term let hosts and businesses, we have announced that we will introduce legislation in January 2023 to extend the deadline for existing hosts to apply for a licence from 1 April 2023 to 1 October 2023.
This is not a pause and we encourage hosts to keep applying throughout this period.
S6W-13279: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 15/12/2022
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding the capacity of the police to process short-term lets applications.
Answered by Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13278 on 12 January 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers