Benefits
About
News
Events
Resources
Forum
Your account

Month: August 2018

Press Release: Baxter’s Place Planning Permission Refusal

Posted on by Fiona Campbell

City of Edinburgh Council’s Development Management Subcommittee unanimously refused planning permission for a short-term letting proposal at 7-8 Baxter’s Place.

Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, said:

“The ASSC supports fully the decision to refuse planning permission to the ‘party flats’ at Baxter’s Place.

“Running a ‘party flat’ in this manner and permitting the behaviour that they have allowed to go on in it is completely unacceptable and does a disservice to all legitimate short-term rental operators across the Capital.

“These careless individuals would be unwelcome in the ASSC as all our members adhere to the high standards contained in our Code of Conduct.

“Our organisation, and all our members, support City of Edinburgh Council in this decision and will continue to offer our support in ensuring that the everyone in our sector upholds the values of quality, integrity, cleanliness, courtesy, and efficiency in everything that they do.”

Notes to Editors: 

The ASSC Code of Conduct, which all members must abide by, can be found here:https://www.assc.co.uk/about-us/code-of-conduct/

More information on the case in question can be found here:http://www.broughtonspurtle.org.uk/news/baxters-place-shortterm-lets-refused

ENDS

A Message from the ASSC Chairman: CrowdJustice Appeal to Stop the Threat Facing Short-Term Rental

Posted on by Melanie Allen

CrowdJustice Appeal – Stop the threat facing Short-Term Rental : https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/shorttermrentalthreat2/

“We at the ASSC have been alerted to an increasing number of operators being served with enforcement notices to cease trading in their short-term rental properties.

“The decision to support Nicola’s case has not been taken lightly and is one that we believe will determine the future of the self-catering in Scotland. The ASSC has taken extensive professional advice and concluded that we should support her appeal.

“It is the ASSC’s position that no change of use planning permission is required for holiday lets – the use remains residential. There is, however, no clarity in terms of City of Edinburgh Council planning policy and that lack of clarity is now being used to regulate the self-catering sector and shut businesses down.

“This is impacting many of our members and is unsustainable.

“There has also been mounting negative media and political pressure to ‘control’ short-term rental. The ASSC does not believe that planning is the way to do this and seeks clarity on the matter.

“The flat in question is rented out professionally via a letting agent and is entirely legitimate. The owner (an ASSC Member) complies with all the regulations associated with professional self-catering, and the property operates within the ASSC Code of Conduct.

“As the trade association supporting self-catering in Scotland, we have a responsibility to protect our sector. This matter is critical to all self-catering operators in city centres throughout Scotland.

“The lack of clarity from City of Edinburgh Council regarding planning for short-term/self-catering accommodation is precisely what the case is focusing on. Currently, there is no clear policy, and this allows the Council to use ‘change of use’ as a reason to shut perfectly legitimate and professional businesses down. Our Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, is currently working with four such cases, all of whom are ASSC members.

“We simply cannot have Councils shutting down perfectly legitimate operators based on unfounded complaints. We need to come out at the other end of this case with a clear precedent and a subsequent framework in place to give confidence to existing operators that their business will not be shut down by a brown envelope arriving through the letterbox.”

David Smythe

Chairman

Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC)