Angus is facing a flood of Airbnb-style applications as property owners bid to beat a looming short-term lets deadline.
New rules for the likes of bed and breakfast operators and Airbnbs come into force on October 1.
Operators who fail to apply could be fined up to £2,500.
But with just three weeks to go, only around a quarter of the estimated 400 Angus applications have been lodged.
And just 35 licences have been granted.
What does it mean for short-term let owners?
Changes to short-term let legislation have proved controversial.
Critics say changes aimed at curbing growth of renatals on platforms such as Airbnb will hit tourism and jobs.
Some owners will require planning permission for a short-term let proposal.
It will focus on issues including:
- character of the new use and the wider property size
- reliance on mutual or shared areas such as communal accesses, stairwells, gardens, or parking
- pattern of activity associated with the use including numbers of occupants, period of use, noise, disturbance and parking demand
- nature and character of any services provided
There are fears of a mass exodus from the B&B sector.
But some living beside short-term let flats or houses support tighter controls.
Councils in Perth and Dundee have already considered planning applications which generated a mix of local views.
And the Scottish Government delayed introduction of the new rules for six months over concerns about the scheme.
What is the Angus picture?
Civic licensing committee councillors will learn on Thursday that just over 100 short-term let applications have come forward.
Licensing team leader Stuart McQueen says 35 licences have been granted – 32 full and three temporary.
There are 74 still being processed.
Those include applications awaiting additional information from applicants or a decision from the council’s planning department.
“It has been estimated that there are around 300 – 400 properties in the Angus Council area that require to be licensed under the short-term let scheme,” says Mr McQueen.
Anyone who operated a short-term let before October 1 2022 can still accept bookings and guests until their application is determined, but must still apply before October 1.
However, owners who started operations after October 1 last year cannot begin trading until they receive their licence.
Mr McQueen says the council is pushing awareness of the new policy through its own website and social media channels.
“Given the estimated number of properties within the Angus area which are estimated to require a licence, a further 191 – 291 applications can be expected to be received prior to that date (October 1).”
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