Scottish Greens

Wightman urges residents to check legality of holiday home key boxes

Tue 29 Jan, 2019

Scottish Greens housing spokesperson Andy Wightman MSP, whose Homes First campaign aims to better regulate the short-term letting industry, today (29 Jan) urged residents in affected areas to check the legality of key boxes that are spreading like wildfire.

In the last year the number of entire houses or flats being let out for short-term rent in Edinburgh has rocketed from 5,474 to 7,366.

Lothian MSP Andy Wightman said:

Wightman warns rampant growth in short-term lets hollowing out Edinburgh

Fri 28 Dec, 2018

As thousands of visitors descend of Edinburgh for Hogmanay, Scottish Greens housing spokesperson Andy Wightman MSP is warning that the rampant growth in property owners converting their houses and flats to short-term lets is hollowing out Scotland’s capital city.

Analysis by the Lothian MSP, whose “Homes First” campaign is pushing for better regulation of the industry, shows that in the last year the number of entire houses or flats being let out for short-term rent has rocketed from 5,474 to 7,366.

Challenging short-term lets: information for residents

Andy Wightman MSP Thu 6 Dec, 2018

Many constituents have been in contact to ask about how they can challenge unlawful whole properties that are operating as short-term lets.

One Edinburgh resident, who has experience of this, has kindly produced an information sheet for people who may be affected and want to learn more.

You can find this paper here and read other resources here.

Changes to Planning Bill will make land for house-building more affordable and tackle short-term lets

Wed 24 Oct, 2018

Changes agreed today (24 Oct) to the Scottish Government’s Planning Bill will help tackle Scotland’s housing crisis by making land for house-building more affordable and by better regulating short-term lets, according to Scottish Greens housing spokesperson Andy Wightman MSP.

Licensing of Short-Term Lets

Andy Wightman MSP Mon 22 Oct, 2018

On 12 September 2018, Ruth Davidson MSP, Kezia Dugdale MSP, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP and myself wrote to Kevin Stewart MSP, the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning to urge him to introduce a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) to Parliament that would provide local authorities the powers to licence short term lets.

Our letter together with draft SSI can be read here.

Legal challenge to short-term lets regulation

Andy Wightman MSP Wed 22 Aug, 2018

This week the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) launched Phase 3 of a crowdfunding campaign to fund litigation against the City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Ministers in the Court of Session. The case follows an enforcement notice served by the council on the owner of 3F1, 14 Chancelot Terrace for an unapproved change of use from a flat to a short-term let. The owner appealed to Scottish Ministers who upheld the Council’s decision and the decisions of both the Council and Scottish Ministers are now being challenged in the courts.

Wightman proposes changes to help councils tackle housing crisis by controlling holiday accommodation

Tue 24 Jul, 2018

A Scottish Green MSP is proposing changes to the law to help local councils tackle Scotland's housing crisis by controlling the controversial growth in private homes being used as holiday accommodation.

Wightman concerned as tourism agency fails to keep minutes of meetings with AirBnB

Wed 2 May, 2018

Scottish Greens housing spokesperson Andy Wightman MSP today (2 May) raised concerns about the Scottish Government’s tourism agency after Freedom of Information (FoI) requests revealed that VisitScotland did not keep minutes of meetings with controversial holiday accommodation provider AirBnB ahead of the recent launch of a collaborative partnership between the two organisations.

The rapid growth in short-term lets, such as many of those enabled by AirBnB, is depriving communities of badly-needed permanent housing.

Statistics show need for rethink of government policies to tackle Scotland's housing crisis, says Wightman

Tue 13 Mar, 2018

Andy Wightman MSP, Housing spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, said today's (13 Mar) statistics show the need for a rethink of government policies in order to tackle Scotland's housing crisis.

The latest Quarterly Housing Statistics for Scotland show the number of social housing completions is down 16 per cent on the same quarter in 2016, and private new build starts are up 6 per cent while local authority new starts are down 29 per cent.

#HomesFirst: Wightman publishes examples of legislation to show how to help local councils

Mon 12 Feb, 2018

Scottish Green MSP Andy Wightman, whose Homes First campaign aims to regulate the rapid growth of the short-term letting sector, today (12 Feb) published examples of legislative change to show how the Scottish Government could help local Councils tackle the problem.

Research by the Homes First campaign has shown that the growth in commercial short-term lets is out of control in Edinburgh and of increasing concern across Scotland.