Category: Policy

What the ASSC Does for You and The Sector

Being part of the ASSC brings you and your business direct benefits, but it also means you are supporting an active and effective organisation working on the big things that matter.

In an ever-changing tourism landscape and as more and more legislation, regulations and business expenses appear on the horizon, as well as the opportunities and challenges created by the collaborative economy, the ASSC finds itself increasingly politically engaged on a national and European level.

ASSC is undertaking critical activities to support your business and the self-catering sector in Scotland.

• Working with Scottish Government and Local Authorities to take forward the Short-Term Lets Regulatory Framework   
• Working with Scottish Government and local authorities on the introduction of a Transient Visitor Levy or Tourist Tax in Scotland
• Actively working with Scottish Tourism Alliance to highlight the increased ‘cost of doing business’ faced by our members
• Working with Scottish Government and industry stakeholders on the Business Rates review and the Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Bill
• Promoting the retention of the Small Business Bonus Scheme
• Working with Scottish Tourism Alliance and other stakeholders on developing the National Tourism Strategy
• Working with VisitScotland on marketing strategies to benefit the self-catering sector
• Protecting your rights and ensuring that companies such as PPL/PRS Music Licensing and MPLC do not obtain licence fees that are not required from self-catering properties
• Working with trade associations throughout Europe to ensure that our sector is not negatively impacted by increased regulation and seeking views on best practice outwith the UK

We continue to raise the ASSC’s profile in industry and on a Government, Local Government and European level, to ensure that our voice is heard and that our members continue to be at the forefront of a professional, vibrant and prosperous Scottish self-catering sector.

For more information on what issues we are currently involved in, please see our Policy Page.

After several extremely buoyant years for tourism in Scotland, the latest figures from VisitScotland are concerning:

• International trips in Q1 of 2019 are down -35% on Q1 2018
• International spend is down -43% on Q1 2018
• Day visits are down -3% on Q1 2018
• Day visit spend is down -11% on Q1 2018[1]

As a sector, we have continued to face significant regulatory threats, which have been both time-consuming and challenging, including:

• Continued negative press
• Political pressure at the Scottish Parliament
• The proposed amendment to the Scottish Government’s Planning (Scotland) Bill
• Scottish Government consultation into short-term letting regulatory framework
• Planning policy from City of Edinburgh Council
• Transient Visitor Levy/Tourism Tax consultations from the Scottish Government and some local authorities.

In all determinations, we believe that policymakers/regulators should make informed decisions using accurate and evidence-based data, as opposed to relying on perception, anecdote or flawed studies designed to meet agenda-based policy outcomes.

To that end, we commissioned an independent report to investigate the various criticisms of the STR sector and to demonstrate the sector’s impact on key areas. Our Far More than Just Housesprovides evidence that:

• STR cannot be blamed for exacerbating the housing crisis
• There are negligible numbers of formal anti-social behaviour complaints
• There is no incentive amongst traditional operators to avoid tax

Let’s also not forget the findings of our economic impact study commissioned in 2017, which clearly shows the huge benefit of our sector to the Scottish economy.

Touching on some of the bad press generated by our friends over at Airbnb (other platforms are, of course, available – but nobody seems to realise!), the reality of the big bad wolf that is Airbnbis that:

• There are 35,000 listings on Airbnb across Scotland
• Entire homes in Scotland listed on the Airbnb platform account for less than 1 percent of local housing stock
• 84 percent of host accounts in Scotland have one listing on the platform
• 51 percent of hosts in Edinburgh said they used the income from hosting on Airbnb to make ends meet
• 77 percent of guests who stayed with Airbnb in Scotland said they use the platform for a more local, authentic experience
• While guests using Airbnb accounted for just 3% of visitors to Scotland, the Airbnb community boosted the Scottish economy by over £693 million in 2018.

Despite all of this, the self-catering / short-term let sector continues to be blamed for all of societies woes…..

Over the last year, we have again consistently responded with positive news pieces met with local authorities and MSPs to set the record straight.

In February, we published The Long-Term Approach to Short-Term Letting, providing a solution to the perceived problem of STR impacting on housing stock in certain areas.

Read More:  CEOs Report 2019

Fiona Campbell

Chief Executive

The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) has launched a new policy paper on holiday let regulation.

The Long-Term Approach to Short-Term Letting paper was announced by ASSC Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, during a speech at the Private Renting in Scotland: Rent Pressure Zones and Short-term Lets event hosted by Holyrood magazine today, 19th February 2019.

As part of the ASSC’s on-going to commitment to be part of the conversation around self-catering, the paper outlines proposals that would see short-term rental properties come under a mandatory registration scheme in order to provide local authorities with as much information as possible.

The paper also outlines the ASSC’s support for the introduction of rent-pressure zones which would allow local councils to limit the number of holiday lets in areas that meet certain conditions.

If implemented, the Long-Term Approach would address several of the concerns that have been raised about short-term lets by balancing the rights and interest of local communities with those of Scotland’s £723million per year short-term rental market.

During her speech Fiona Campbell also reaffirmed the ASSC’s commitment to engaging with stakeholders across Scotland to find a positive and proactive future for self-catering and the broader tourism sector.

The Top 100 Women in Tourism winner also reiterated the association’s willingness to listen to the concerns of communities and expressed a desire that the ASSC’s proposals would be considered actively across the sector.

ASSC Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, said:

“I’m delighted to launch the Long-Term Approach to Short-Term Letting paper on behalf of the ASSC.

“This paper represents a good faith contribution to the on-going debate around short-term rentals in Scotland.

“We believe that our suggestions form a model around which we can build consensus from civic Scotland, the public, and our own industry.

“There is a balance to be struck and, in our view, that is what this paper does.

“We look forward to engaging with all parties who care to discuss it with us.”

Adding, ASSC Chair, Linda Battison, said:

“Self-catering is a great sector, in which much of the spend goes directly into small and medium sized local businesses.

“There is no question about the positive economic impact self-catering has but we acknowledge that tourism and the needs of local communities must be carefully balanced to ensure that Scotland’s warm welcome is not threatened.

“We believe that our approach is sensible, proportionate, and in line with government policy”

“If implemented fairly it will allow our sector to provide accommodation where it is needed without upsetting the important balance between visitors and residents.”

Read the Policy Paper: ASSC Policy Paper