Inverness considers restrictions on short-term lets

Scotland’s Inverness is considering restrictions on Airbnb-style short-term lets due to concerns over the impact on local communities. Councillors on Highland Council’s Inverness city committee were told that a high rate of homes being converted into short-term lets was putting “significant pressure” on an already strained local housing market.

A process of setting up short-term let control zones has been agreed on. It could result in planning permission being required for any new let. According to a report shown to the committee, there had been 1,508 potential permanent dwellings in the area around Inverness that were being used as short-term lets. The city centre sees over 15% of potential homes being used for short-term lets with the figure being over 27% in the Fort Augustus and Invermoriston areas.

Two separate control zones may be established. One would convert the city of Inverness, with the other focusing on the surrounding rural areas. The city’s Central Labour councillor Micheal Gregson said that action would be needed to prevent builds being turned into holiday lets.  There were currently just 20 homes for long-term rent in the city, he said, and that people are struggling to find somewhere to live.

Short-term lets, he said, were having a “big impact” on the character of the Hill and Crown areas where entire streets are being “dominated by key safes not homes.”

“We are dealing with a lot of complaints,” said Gregson. “There is a build-up of inappropriate waste, parking issues. In some places we are definitely at saturation point.”

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