Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers’ Stop Scapegoating Self Caterers campaign hits Highlands as protestors target council buildings
A campaign blasting back at sectors of local and national government for blaming short-term let owners for Scotland’s housing crisis today hit the Highlands.
Following a nationwide launch earlier this week, the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers’ (ASSC) event at Highland Council offices in Inverness saw a handful of members raise placards in protest.
The Stop Scapegoating Self Caterers Campaign message was straightforward amid ongoing claims that housing shortages and high prices had been caused by a proliferation of short-term rentals in both urban and rural settings.
The campaign has voiced claims that a far greater number of available properties lie empty across Scotland than are used by the self-catering industry.
Members insist self-caterers have become an easy target for “lazy attempts to scapegoat the sector, rather than deal with the real issues at hand”, reinstating empty properties and building more affordable housing.
The Association of Scotland’s Self Caterers says self-catering accounts for 0.8 per cent of housing stock Scotland-wide, while empty properties represent 3.6 percent of housing stock.
Fiona Campbell MBE, CEO of the ASSC, said: “Hard-pressed self-catering operators will be experiencing more than a little sense of déjà vu as their sector is once again scapegoated for a shortage of homes.
“Recycling the same tired calls for even stricter controls on short-term lets, despite no evidence it will ease housing pressures, is regulatory overkill.
“They risk hammering a £864m self-catering sector that underpins Scottish tourism.
“Our message is clear: you won’t solve a housing crisis by initiating a crisis in Scottish
tourism by decimating local businesses underpinning local economies.
“Attention must shift to the real causes of the housing crisis and stop scapegoating self-catering.”
However, Ms Campbell welcomed a Highland Council decision to delay blanket imposition of further controls on short-term lets in the region.
She acknowledged concerns voiced by some councillors about the impact of Airbnb type ventures on neighbourhoods and communities, but insisted the evidence didn’t stack up, adding that the sector contributed £200m to the Highland economy, supporting around 7,000 jobs.
She said: “I’m pleased to see Highland Councillors taking a sensible and balanced approach by delaying any further controls on short-term lets.
“The self-catering sector contributes significantly to the Highland economy, and it’s important that we focus on evidence-based solutions that support both the local housing market and the tourism industry.
“The reality is that self-catering units represent a small part of the overall housing picture, and we must avoid conflating the challenges of empty homes and second homes with the contributions of responsible self-catering businesses.”