New licence for short term lets in Fife - or face fine of up to £2500

Anyone operating a let before October 2022 has until October 1 this year to get the paperwork in order.

And new hosts are also required to apply and obtain a licence before they can accept bookings or receive guests.

The new licence will require hosts to meet a set of mandatory conditions – many of which are already best practice within the sector, or required by existing law. The new legislation introduces mandatory standards for all short-term lets across Scotland.

It aims to ensure that hosts meet the mandatory standards, ands protect the reputation of Scotland’s hospitality sector which, in 2019 welcomed around 17.3 million overnight visitors.

Short-term lets include home-shares or anyone who lets their home out while they’re not there. Anyone who doesn’t get a licence could be at risk of being fined up to £2,500 and not be able to apply for a year.

The costs of the licence will vary depending on the property location, size and type of let.

Jordan Mitchell, director, Short Stay St Andrews, said: “As the largest holiday letting agency in St Andrews and the East Neuk, the initial thought of an application process for short-term letting our 130-plus managed properties was a daunting one.

“However, the application process has been plain sailing once we had all the required safety certification in place. Fife Council has been extremely supportive in its quest to process the applications despite the extra pressure on its systems”

Shona Robison, Housing Secretary, said: “While short-term lets bring benefits to hosts, visitors and the Scottish economy they need to be balanced with the needs of residents and local communities. We are taking action to ensure all short-term lets are safe and local authorities have powers to tackle local issues.”

“This will not only ensure the safety of guests and the wider community but also help to maintain the reputation of Fife as a welcoming and responsible destination for visitors”.

For more information about the licensing scheme, whether your accommodation requires a licence and how to apply visit gov.scot/shorttermlets.