Trade bodies and short let landlords have made a last-ditch appeal to politicians to stop new rules which could see the majority of Airbnbs disappearing.

The Scottish Government’s new licensing scheme requires Airbnb and other short lets hosts to display EPC ratings on advertisements, prove the existence of buildings and public liability insurance, and undertake fire and gas safety precautions – very similar to those requirements on the mainstream private rental sector. 

Hosts and landlords have to register by October 1 to ensure they can continue trading.

The Scottish Government has handed over responsibility for enacting these rules to local councils and one – Edinburgh – is even considering a visitor levy which would be applied to short lets, hotels and bed and breakfast operations.

Edinburgh councillors have been given a paper prepared by council officers warning that the rules could mean some 80 per cent of existing Airbnb and other short lets could disappear if the rules go ahead. 

Figures from Edinburgh council show it has approved just 111 applications up to the end of July while a further 119 applications were being considered. There’s an estimated 4,000 properties in the city listed on Airbnb alone.

Now a tourist trade body – the Scottish B&B Association – has made a last ditch appeal to Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf urging him to pause the plans to introduce licences.

Another trade body – the Association of Scottish Self Caterers – says the regime would be a “de-facto ban on short-term lets in Edinburgh” and is pursuing a judicial review; if this is granted, it would be the second such review into the proposals.

Airbnb hosts in the city interviewed on STV News have warned that the rules would turn Scotland into a “laughing stock” because of the scale of damage to the economy.

A Scottish Government spokesperson has told the Edinburgh media: “All councils are working through the increasing number of short-term let hosts applying for a licence by 1 October. To date, no short-term let licence applications have been refused in Edinburgh and as long as an application has been received by the deadline, hosts can continue to trade after that date.

“Good quality standards are at the heart of regulating the short-term let sector, as well as providing assurance to visitors and guests staying in Scotland.

“Many hosts will already be meeting licensing conditions as a matter of compliance with existing law or best practice. As well as ensuring short-term lets have to meet consistent standards, the licensing scheme will also provide accurate numbers of such lets for the first time.

“Edinburgh City Council has adjusted its short-term let policies to take account of a recent Judicial Review which required some aspects to be amended, and is accepting and processing more applications on a daily basis.”