THE Scottish Government will not extend the deadline for short-term let operators to apply for a licence, Humza Yousaf has insisted.
A scheme which requires short-term let operators across Scotland to apply for a licence is due to come into place on October 1 after already being pushed back from its initial March 2023 launch date.
Edinburgh City Council leader Cammy Day suggested on Wednesday that he supported lobbying efforts to further extend the deadline.
So far, the council has received just 245 applications out of an estimated 12,000 short-term let properties in the city with many landlords claiming the scheme will decimate their businesses.
But Yousaf said the remarks by Day were “really poor” and insisted the Scottish Government will not “wilt in the face” of pressure from landlords.
Asked if he would pause the new short-term let regulations, Yousaf said: “No we won’t pause it.
“We have given an extension already, there has been plenty of time for those short-term lets to ensure they put an application in to the scheme.
“It is the right thing to do, I think it’s supported by many members of the public and I’ve seen some very good commentary from people saying this is exactly what Edinburgh needs.
“To see the leader of Edinburgh City Council roll over and abdicate any responsibility, I have to say is really poor. The Scottish Government will not wilt in the face of that pressure and we’ll do the right thing.”
Day did subsequently claim on Thursday that the council’s position on adhering to the October 1 deadline remains unchanged.
He said on Twitter/X: “From speaking to industry, I know that there’s nervousness around the 1 October deadline, and they’re lobbying the minister for this to be extended further, but this is a date set in legislation and we can’t change it.”
Campaign group Living Rent Edinburgh said that the deadline shouldn’t be delayed just because landlords have failed to apply for a licence.
It comes after a report from Edinburgh Council found that the city could potentially see an 80% drop in the number of short-term lets available when the rules come into force.
