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Publication - Statistics

Short Term Lets Licensing Statistics Scotland to 30 June 2023

Published
20 November 2023

This statistical publication presents information on the number of valid short term lets licence applications received, granted and pending determination as at 30 June 2023, by type of let, type of property and other accommodation details, based on data collected from local authorities across the first three reporting quarters from 1 October 2022.

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  • Since the Short Term Lets Licensing Scheme opening to receive applications on 1 October 2022 there have been a total of 4,761 applications received and validated by local authorities up to 30 June 2023, with 1,177 received during the quarter October to December 2022, 1,500 received during January to March 2023, and 2,084 received during April to June 2023.
  • Local authorities with the highest numbers of total valid applications received include Highland (1,457), Fife (579) and Dumfries and Galloway (567), which together account for over half (2,603 or 55%) of all applications received and validated up to 30 June 2023. There has been a lower number of applications for City of Edinburgh (195), Glasgow City (91), and other urban local authorities such as Aberdeen City (51) and Dundee (28).
  • Applications as a rate per 10,000 dwellings have been highest in Na h-Eileanan Siar (138 per 10,000 dwellings), Highland (119), Orkney (79) and Dumfries and Galloway (75), whilst there has been a relatively low rate of applications for City of Edinburgh (7.5), Glasgow City (2.8) and other urban local authorities such as Aberdeen City (4.1) and Dundee City (3.7).
  • Nearly all (4,712 or 99%) of the total 4,761 applications received and validated up to 30 June 2023 have been for a full licence, with 20 (0.4%) being for a temporary licence and 29 (0.6%) being for a temporary exemption.
  • Information on the provisional or new status of the licence application, as per the quarter the application was received and validated, is available for 3,342 (70%) of valid applications. Of these, 2,838 (85%) have been for provisional licences (i.e. applications from existing hosts) and 504 (15%) have been for new licences (i.e. applications from new operators/hosts or for properties previously unlet before 1st October 2022).
  • As at 30 June 2023, 2,273 (48%) of the 4,762 applications received and validated were pending determination, 2,140 (45%) had been granted with no additional conditions, 312 (7%) had been granted with additional conditions, 32 (1%) had been withdrawn by the applicant, 4 (0.1%) licences had lapsed, and none had been refused, revoked or suspended.
  • Of the 2,452 applications granted by 30 June 2023, 14 were decided in October to December 2022, 1,006 were decided in January to March 2023, and 1,432 were decided in April to June 2023.
  • Of the 4,761 total applications received and validated by 30 June 2023, the majority (3,903 or 82%) relate to secondary letting (i.e. where a non-primary residence is let out), with 491 (10%) being for home sharing, 228 (5%) for home letting, and 139 (3%) for a mixture of home sharing and letting. A total of 2,015 (42%) applications were in relation to lets for detached houses, 702 (15%) for semi-detached houses, 489 (10%) for terraced houses, 1,128 (24%) for self-contained flats, and 427 (9%) for unconventional dwellings.
  • As at 30 June 2023 there were a total of 3,903 licences or exemptions in operation, consisting of 2,429 (62%) full licences, 1,451 (37%) provisional licences pending a final decision, 6 (0.2%) temporary licences, and 17 (0.4%) temporary exemptions.
  • Information on EPC rating is available for 59% (2,302) of the 3,903 licences or exemptions in operation. Of these the majority (79% or 1,820 licences) had a rating of band C, D or E, with 9% (196 licences) having the highest ratings of A or B, and 12% (286 licences) having the lowest ratings of F or G
  • Accommodation information has been provided for 95% (3,726) of the 3,903 licenses or exemptions in operation, equating to a total of 4,262 accommodation units. Information on the number of bedrooms was provided for all but 24 licences, totalling 10,777 bedrooms, whilst information on the maximum occupancy was provided for all but 6 licences, equating to a total maximum occupancy of 20,566 people.
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