More short-term lets breaching planning policy

Figures show officers, who dealt with 43 cases in the whole of 2018, were faced with 44 cases by late May this year, issuing 19 enforcement notices, ordering remedial action, so far.

The information was published in Glasgow City Council papers discussing Scottish Government consultation on potential regulation of short-term lets.

“It has been recognised that short-term lets have become a significant issue in Scotland and to address this the Government has made a commitment to ensuring local authorities have appropriate regulatory powers to balance the needs and concerns of communities with the wider economic and tourism interest,” said

the report by Richard Brown, Glasgow City Council’s Executive Director of Regeneration and the Economy.

Problems experienced due to the lets include a negative effect upon housing markets, loss of amenity for neighbours and safety and security risks.

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Benefits, outlined in the report, include supporting tourism and flexibility for users, such as contract workers or those needing temporary living arrangements.

The consultation suggests conditions which could be used to identify a short-term let. These include the property is available for letting for a cumulative period of 28 days in a year and at least one of the periods of letting will be for less 28 days in each annual period.

The Council says the impact of short-term lets in Glasgow on the housing market is currently “difficult to ascertain”.

However, the report reveals a “significant proportion of enforcement complaints received have cited noise and disturbance as the basis of complaints about breaches of use”.

“To date every appeal challenging council enforcement action terminating operation of a short-term let has been unsuccessful, suggesting a robust and effective policy,”

the report states.

“However, relying on planning policy as a regulatory approach means a system is ultimately a reactive arrangement that relies on a breach of control to inform action.”

The council stresses local authorities should have the freedom to tailor a regulatory framework to its needs.

“The context, experience, priorities and effects of short-term lets in Glasgow are unlikely to be replicated elsewhere in Scotland.”