The ASSC welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Scottish Government’s consultation, and the full response can be downloaded here:
Energy Efficiency Consultation
Scotland’s traditional short-term rental sector continues to make a positive impact on the Scottish economy, a new report has found.
The findings show:
Download the full report:
The Scottish Government has introduced an Islands Bill, which is currently being scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee.
The Bill encompasses a disparate set of issues and aims to strengthen and protect Scotland’s island communities by:
The ASSC welcomes the central thrust of the Islands Bill and its objective of ensuring that the needs of island communities are met now and in the future.
Briefing Paper – Self-catering in rural Scotland
Andy Wightman led a Members’ Business Debate, launching Homes First, the Scottish Green Party campaign focusing on short-term lets on 8th November.
The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers has launched its new Code of Conduct, aimed at improving standards in the industry. The Code has been developed alongside a Scottish Government study and comes with a Policy Recommendation Paper, which sets out how the vital self-catering sector in Scotland can be improved for customers, hosts, and all others involved. Both documents have been presented to the Expert Panel on the Collaborative Economy.
ASSC launched its Code of Conduct in association with the Short-Term Accommodation Association (STAA), which has also developed a policy paper looking into improving working life for platform hosts. During the process of drafting both the policy document and the Code of Conduct, ASSC and STAA worked together in close collaboration, for the benefit of all parts of the industry.
The Scottish Government have published proposals as part of a consultation to ensure that all private rented homes in Scotland meet a minimum standard of energy efficiency and also to make amendments to the required condition standards to improve overall condition.
The ASSC has developed a background briefing on Energy Performance Certificate requirements to holiday home lets, and has submitted to the consultation.
Energy Performances Certificates – Background Briefing
Energy Efficiency Consultation Response
Glasgow City Council sought views on their City Development Plan Supplementary Guidance for Economic Development. This will provide an overarching context for how new development proposals should be approached and prepared to deliver successful places.
The ASSC submitted views in June 1017.
GCC City Development Plan Supplementary Guidance Consultation _ ASSC Representation
The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers has been stepping up its political engagement in recent months by responding to two separate calls for evidence from the Scottish Government, as well as one from a Scottish Parliament Committee.
In April 2017, the ASSC supplied evidence to the Scottish Government on scoping research on the supply and demand for short-term lets in Scotland.
In May, the ASSC’s Chairman David Smythe appeared before MSPs at the Scottish Parliament’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee to provide evidence on the tourism sector alongside other industry stakeholders. You can watch recorded coverage of his appearance here, or read the Official Report of the meeting.
Later that month, the ASSC provided written evidence to the Scottish Expert Panel on the Collaborative Economy which was established to provide “advice, expertise and experience to ongoing policy development on the collaborative economy”. This Panel will eventually provide recommendations to Scottish Government Ministers on the opportunities and challenges in this area, including on peer-to-peer accommodation. Read the report: Call for Evidence – ASSC.
In all three instances, the ASSC has highlighted the valuable contribution its members make to the Scottish tourism economy and cautioned against policies that would be detrimental to our industry, such as disproportionate regulation of the short term let market.
The ASSC looks forward to lobbying Scottish policymakers on these key issues, and other matters of relevance, in the year ahead.
The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers commissioned Frontline Consultants to carry out a major study to measure the Economic Impact of the Self-Catering sector in Scotland.
The evaluation reveals the economic impact of all visits made to self-catering providers in Scotland, and provides an area by area breakdown of this expenditure. It:
The findings from this research provide evidence of the value of the self-catering sector to the Scottish economy and heighten the recognition of the sector as an essential part of the tourism mix and economic growth.
ASSC_Economic_Impact_Assessment_of_Short_Term_Lettings_on_the_Scottish_Economy_-_Final_Report_v1.2