Short Term Lets

Repairing Standard Scotland 2024 - UPDATE

The Scottish Government will introduce new regulations on on 1 March 2024 to upgrade the repairing standard to include:

    ♦ residual current devices
    ♦ fuels other than gas and electricity
    ♦ fixed heating systems
    ♦ safe access and use of common parts
    ♦ provision for, and safe access to, a food storage space and a food preparation space
    ♦ satisfactory locks on common doors in tenements

View the Scottish Government Repairing Standard guidance 

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 was approved by the Scottish Parliament 19 January 2022 and came into force on 1 March 2022.

Short-term lets can offer people a flexible and cheaper travel option, and have contributed positively to Scotland's tourism industry and local economies across the country. The Scottish Government has put in place this licensing scheme to ensure basic safety standards are in place across all short-term lets operating in Scotland, while also providing discretionary powers to licensing authorities to address the needs and concerns of local communities. Improved visitor experience and confidence will benefit tourism and the economy.

The aims of the licensing scheme are:

• to ensure all short-term lets are safe
• to facilitate licensing authorities in knowing and understanding what is happening in their area 
• to assist with handling complaints and address issues faced by neighbours effectively

East Renfrewshire Council has their licensing scheme ready to receive applications as of 1 October 2022.

From 1 October 2022:

• new hosts and operators need to have a licence. This means that, if you were not using your premises to provide short-term lets before 1 October 2022, you can advertise but not take bookings or receive guests until you have obtained a licence.
• existing hosts/ operators (those using accommodation to provide short-term lets before 1 October 2022) have until 1 April 2023 to apply for a licence. During this period you can operate without a licence (by continuing to take bookings and receiving guests) unless your licence has been determined, and your application rejected. You will need to be able to prove that you used the property for short-term lets, for example through evidence of bookings and payments, as part of your initial application.

March 2023 update 

The Scottish Parliament has of 1 March 2023, approved legislation to extend the deadline by which existing short-term let hosts must apply for a short-term let licence by 6 months to 1 October 2023. This has been done in recognition of the wider economic circumstances of the cost of living crisis that is placing pressure on existing short-term let hosts and businesses.

New hosts If you have not been operating as a short-term let host prior to 1 October 2022, you must apply for a licence now. You must obtain a licence before taking bookings or receiving guests.

It is a criminal offence for any person to continue to operate after their licence application has been determined and refused.

Short-term Lets Register

View our online register. (Excel doc) [17KB]

Apply for a licence

Before completing your application please read and review the checklists below to ensure you have all the information you require to proceed:

Getting your application right first time will help you to get a decision more quickly.

• Application checklist (legal requirements) (PDF) [220KB]
• Application checklist (documentation and personal information) (PDF) [153KB]
• fire safety checklist (PDF) [148KB]  

Find out about short term licences and

View fees and apply online

Planning Information and Consent

East Renfrewshire Council does not intend on implementing Control Area Regulations mainly due to the, estimated, low prevalence of Short Term Let activity operating in this local authority area.

This will be kept under review as the application process opens and we can establish overall prevalence.

Under provisions within the Licensing Order, a preliminary ground for refusing to consider an application for a Short Term Let is that the use of the proposed premises would constitute a breach of planning controls set out under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 by virtue of section 123 (1) (a) or (b) of that Act.

Hosts and operators are, therefore, encouraged to engage with the Council's planning department prior to submitting a licence application to confirm whether they require planning permission or a certificate of lawful use of development:

See our Apply for planning permission web page for more information.

Neighbours and Communities

Hosts are responsible for notifying residents and neighbours of their application for a new Short-Term Lets Licence, or their renewal of an existing Short-Term Lets licence.

Applicants are required to display a site Notice clearly at, or near the premises, so that it can be conveniently read by the public, for a period of 21 days, beginning with the date on which the application was submitted to the Council - information can be found in the Scottish Government's Short term lets Guidance. 

A Notice must state:

• that an application has been made for a licence
• the main facts of the application
• that objections and representations in relation to the application can be made to the Council, and
• how to make objections or representations

Download and complete a Public notice application (PDF) [371KB]

Download and complete an objection form (PDF) [91KB]

Download and complete a Certificate of compliance (PDF) [177KB]

If you experience any noise, nuisance, antisocial behaviour or criminal related activity from a short term let property you can report any incidents using our Ring and Report service via Police Scotland or email STL@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk.

Information and Advice

Read our Short term lets licensing policy (PDF) [708KB]  and  Space standards (PDF) [180KB]

Read our  Frequently Answered Questions (FAQs) (PDF) [269KB]  

View our  Licensing of Short term lets (STLs) Equality, Fairness and Rights Impact Assessment (PDF) [983KB]

Complaints and Right of Appeal

Complaints regarding the Council's operation of its Short-Term Lets Licensing Policy or Procedures will be investigated in accordance with the Council's formal Complaints Procedure.

Complaints should be sent to the Senior Officer for investigation:

email stl@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk 

Alternatively complaints can be sent by post to:

Senior Officer (Private Sector Housing Team)
East Renfrewshire Council
211 Main Street
Barrhead
East Renfrewshire, G78 1SY

The Council will aim to respond to 1^st stage complaints within 5 working days and 2^nd stage complaints within 20 working days. The Council will keep a record of all complaints made under this Policy.

After 1 April 2023:

Existing hosts can only continue to operate if they have:

• a) Submitted an application for a licence on or before 1 April 2023 that has not yet been determined; OR
• b) Been granted a short-term let licence.

After 1 July 2024:

All short-term lets in Scotland will need to be licensed by 1 July 2024. On or after 1 July 2024 operating without a licence is unlawful in all cases.

Read the guidance for hosts and operators and the supplementary guidance for licensing authorities, letting agencies and platforms, published by the Scottish Government on 18 March 2022

This website will be updated as implementation of our scheme and register evolves.

Got a query about Short Term Lets? Contact the Private Sector Housing Team. Email: stl@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk