ASSC: A Powerful Voice for Scotland’s Self-Catering Sector

Introduction

The ASSC’s staff might be small in number but the organisation continues to punch above its weight to protect its 1650+ strong membership. Our dedicated team works tirelessly to support your business and the wider sector, working with local authorities, tourism leaders, and governments to try and secure fair policies and legislation, whilst legally challenging those that we consider unlawful or oppressive. We have been at the forefront of lobbying efforts on issues such as short-term let regulation and the tourist tax, demonstrating real leadership to protect and enhance our vital industry.

But what has the ASSC been up to across 2024?

Political Lobbying and Engagement: Holyrood, Westminster and Local Councils

• The ASSC proactively lobbied senior politicians, across multiple policy fronts, throughout 2024. In Scotland, this has included regular meetings with Scottish Ministers and civil servants, as well as leading Opposition Spokespersons and MSPs. The Scottish Parliament’s Lobbying Register documents all in-person meetings (except where exemptions have been granted) held between the ASSC’s CEO and our elected representatives, showing the ASSC to be one of the most active trade bodies in Scotland.
• Alongside our frequent meetings with Ministers, the ASSC were appointed as members of the Short-term Lets Guidance Expert Group (as well as its predecessors); the Scottish Government’s Rural Delivery Plan, the Scottish Government New Deal for Business: Business Partnerships, Non-Domestic Rates and Regulatory Review Sub Groups; and the Visitor Levy Expert Group, a recognition of the influence it holds as an important stakeholder.
• Its activities were not limited to the Scottish Parliament, with the ASSC meeting with HM Treasury on issues such as the taxation regime for Furnished Holiday Lets, as well as engaging new Ministers at the Scotland Office from HM Government, building new relationships as the political landscape across Scotland and the UK continues to evolve.
• Away from Holyrood and Westminster, the ASSC met with numerous local councils on regulatory challenges relating to short-term let regulation and local tourist taxes, providing our knowledge and expertise and recommending various policy solutions. For instance, through our involvement with the Glasgow City Council Visitor Levy Industry Forum.
• We also hold close working relationships with Scottish, UK and European sectoral organisations such as the Scottish Tourism Alliance (the ASSC are members of the STA Council and Policy Group); the Scottish Assessors’ Association Scottish Ratepayers’ Forum; Edinburgh Tourism Action Full Group; the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Destination Group; the Professional Association of Self-Caterers UK Policy Group; and the European Holiday Homes Association Council. Additionally, we liaised frequently with other trade bodies and businesses on joint challenges.

Media Engagement

• The ASSC continues to receive excellent media coverage for an organisation of its size, often eclipsing larger trade bodies. Our CEO has made frequent appearances in BBC and STV broadcast media, online and print editions of leading newspapers, as well as publishing op-eds in publications such as The Times.
• Assisting our political and media engagement this year, and beyond, was the publication of the BiGGAR Economics reports into the economic impact of short-term lets in both Edinburgh and Scotland as a whole. Securing extensive media coverage and parliamentary interest, we hope this analysis can help change the narrative around self-catering.

Recent Achievements

• Four successful legal challenges in the last 2 years, resulting in impactful regulatory changes, and we will not hesitate to act again if legislation is unfair and potentially unlawful.
• Changes to Non-Domestic Rates policies such as securing worker stays within the 70 days of maximum occupancy within the year.
• Transitional arrangements for the abolition of the Furnished Holiday Let tax regime.
• Amendments to the Visitor Levy at a national level, enabling local authorities to exempt non-VAT registered businesses from any levy, as well as at a local level at City of Edinburgh Council through the recent extension of the transition period by 6 months.
• Changes to the Scottish Government’s Licensing regime – for example, our efforts on licence transfers.
• Held over 30 separate meetings with the people that matter, from Scottish Government Cabinet Secretaries to Ministers, Party Leaders, Opposition Spokespersons and MSPs.
• Over 200 specific ASSC media mentions in the Scottish print and broadcast media, challenging prevailing attitudes and putting forward a positive case for self-catering.

Conclusion

It might not always be easy, and challenges undoubtedly remain, but our effective and constructive representation can help the self-catering community. Our sector has so much to be proud of and there’s much more we can achieve together. However, our success simply wouldn’t be possible without you and that’s why we urge your continued backing to the ASSC.

“The ASSC may be a small team, but we are a powerful force, consistently punching above our weight to protect and champion Scotland’s self-catering sector. Over the past two years, we have successfully challenged unjust legislation, influenced key policy changes, and secured victories on STL Regulations, Non-Domestic Rates, the Visitor Levy, and tax reforms. We have led the charge in political lobbying, shaping debates at Holyrood, Westminster, and across local councils, while ensuring our industry’s voice is heard in the media. The fight is far from over – but with our resilience, expertise, and the strength of our 1,650 + strong membership, we will continue to defend and advance this vital sector. Your support empowers us to keep winning.”

— Fiona Campbell, Chief Executive, ASSC