Short-term lets: data collection specification
Data collection specification and example XML schema for the collection of licencing data for short-term lets.
Licence details
This section gives the details for the fields related to the licence details and describes each of the variables to be exported, their names, the acceptable responses, the values to be returned for those responses, and the automatic validation checks which will be performed by the ProcXed system when they are uploaded.
Licence number
XML TAG:
LicenceNumber
Description
Identifying code for the Licence Number. This is broken into three segments with separate specifications that are concatenated into a single Licence code.
Note that the licence number should be provided without dashes.
Also note for reference that for the Licence Type component of the Licence Number field should be updated whenever the separate Type of Licence field is changed (see the Type of Licence section of the data specification below, which explains changes to types of licences in more detail).
Format
2 character and 5 digits and 1 further character that match following regular expression ^(AC|AS|AN|AR|CL|DG|DD|EA|ED|EL|ER|EH|FK|FI|GL|HI|IN|ML|MO|ES|NA|NL|OR|PK|RN|SB|SH|SA|SL|ST|WD|WL)+[0-9]{5}(E|T|P|F|R)+$
Validation Mandatory (Optional if application is invalid)
The licence number will comprise 8 characters, three of which are alphabetical (capital letters) and 5 of which are digits (D): A1A2DDDDDA3
The leading two characters (A1A2) will identify the licensing authority:
|
Local Authority |
Code |
|
Aberdeen City |
AC |
|
Aberdeenshire |
AS |
|
Angus |
AN |
|
Argyll and Bute |
AR |
|
Clackmannanshire |
CL |
|
Dumfries and Galloway |
DG |
|
Dundee |
DD |
|
East Ayrshire |
EA |
|
East Dunbartonshire |
ED |
|
East Lothian |
EL |
|
East Renfrewshire |
ER |
|
Edinburgh |
EH |
|
Falkirk |
FK |
|
Fife |
FI |
|
Glasgow |
GL |
|
Highland |
HI |
|
Inverclyde |
IN |
|
Midlothian |
ML |
|
Moray |
MO |
|
Na h-Eileanan Siar |
ES |
|
North Ayrshire |
NA |
|
North Lanarkshire |
NL |
|
Orkney |
OR |
|
Perth and Kinross |
PK |
|
Renfrewshire |
RN |
|
Scottish Borders |
SB |
|
Shetland |
SH |
|
South Ayrshire |
SA |
|
South Lanarkshire |
SL |
|
Stirling |
ST |
|
West Dunbartonshire |
WD |
|
West Lothian |
WL |
The 5 digits will be assigned by the local authority and should be unique for each local authority in their area.
The final character (A3) will denote the type of ‘licence’ (see the Type of Licence section of the data specification below).
Type of licence
XML Tag:
LicenceType
Description:
Description of the type of licence. Although the type of licence is already represented in the last character of the licence number, a separate variable will aid the analysis of STL data by different types of licences.
Following 1 October 2023 all applications received should use ‘N’ for new applications, to be changed to ‘F’ at the point in time that an application is granted, or if the licence application isn’t granted, then the ‘N’ code should remain and the Status of Application field should be recorded as Refused or another appropriate outcome. For clarity, note that an ‘N’ licence number will not allow a host to operate.
Any provisional ‘P’ type licences which are already in the system, or which relate to applications from existing hosts that have been received before 1 October 2023 but not yet input into the system, should be recorded as ‘P’ types, to be changed to ‘F’ at the point in time that an application is granted, or if the licence application isn’t granted, then the ‘P’ code should remain and the Status of Application field should be recorded as Refused or another appropriate outcome.
Format
List (single character code)
Validation
Mandatory (Optional if invalid). Provisional (“P”) or New (“N”) applications recorded as Granted will be flagged as errors. Applications marked as Provisional licence type where the Application Date is on or after 1 October 2023 will also be flagged (to be confirmed by local authorities). Note that for Provisional applications, the “Date Application Determined Valid” can be after 1 October if there is lag in time between receipt of the application and local authorities confirming the application to be valid.
|
Licence Type |
Code |
Description |
|
Temporary exemption |
E |
A temporary exemption from the requirements to obtain a licence |
|
Temporary licence |
T |
A temporary licence for a duration not exceeding 6 weeks (unless an application for full licence is received before expiry) |
|
Provisional licence number issued on receipt of a licence application from existing hosts only |
P |
For existing short term let operators, for properties which were let prior to the introduction of the licencing system on 1st October 2022, who apply for a full first licence before 1st October 2023, but who have not yet received a determination |
|
New operator application |
N |
An application for a licence from new operators or from existing operators who miss the 1 October 2023 deadline or are applying for a licence for properties that were previously unlet prior to the introduction of the licencing system on 1st October 2022, and who have not yet received a determination |
|
First (full) licence |
F |
A standard full licence |
|
Renewed licence |
R |
A licence which has been renewed by the applicant |
Licence expiry date
XML Tag:
ExpiryDate
Description:
Date that the licence will expire. To be updated if any licence expiry dates are extended.
Format
Date (YYYY-MM-DD)
Validation
Mandatory (when application status is “Granted - no additional conditions” or “Granted - with additional conditions”, optional for all other cases)
Contact
Email: housingstatistics@gov.scot
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