Key Points

Applications received and validated by local authorities

Note: [ ] indicate the excel tab where the data is located in the supporting document.

• The focus of this publication is on validated short term let applications. There are applications where authorities do not have the information required to validate an application and are working with applicants to obtain this information. This means the statistics in this publication are provisional and subject to upward revision in future releases. 
• There were at least 30,299 (82% validated) applications for a short-term licence as of end June 2024. The majority (82%; 24,913) of these applications were received before the 1 October 2023 cut off for existing hosts and operators to apply for a provisional licence to continue operating whilst waiting for a full licence confirmation. [Table 1, 2 and 17]
• Overall, in Scotland there were 91 short term lets applications per 10,000 dwellings. The highest rate was in Na h-Eileanan Siar (590) and the lowest rate in North Lanarkshire (6). [Table 3]

Applications status

• As of 30 June 2024, over two thirds (67%) of all validated applications (24,810) were granted a licence (including lapsed licenses), and less than a third (31%) of the applications were pending determination. A minority of applications were withdrawn, refused, or suspended (2%). [Table 8]
• Local authorities have 12 months to process an application from existing hosts and 9 months for new hosts. 97% (5,771) of applications received between October 2022 and June 2023 had a licence granted within 12 months. 2% (117) of the applications received in this period were withdrawn and 1% (85) were pending determination by the end of June 2024. [Table 8]

Licences or exemptions in operation

• 21,075 licences or exemptions were in operation as of 30 June 2024. Full licences accounted for over three quarters (76% or 16,052) of this number and 22% (4,560) were provisional licences pending a final decision. There were 461 temporary licences and exemptions. [Table 10]
• At least 53,307 bedrooms and a total maximum occupancy of 109,450 people were reported in the licences or exemptions in operation granted. [Table 16]