SCOTTISH Government plans to regulate Airbnb-style short term lets could risk almost 17,000 jobs and take £1 million each day out of the Scottish economy, new research has warned.

Ministers want to require landlords to obtain a licence before operating as a short term let – with those who don’t potentially facing a fine of up to £50,000.

The Scottish Government is currently holding a consultation on the proposals, with the intention for them to be rolled out from April.

But analysis by Biggar Economics, commissioned by Airbnb, has warned that the potential job losses are the equivalent of increasing unemployment by 0.6% in Scotland - taking figures from 4.5 to 5.1%. The study found that travel on Airbnb boosts the Scottish economy by £677 million a year and supports more than 33,500 Scottish jobs.

New analysis also included in the consultation response shows that the average Scottish family would need to pay over £700 to meet the legal and technical requirements of sharing a spare room in their home under the Scottish Government’s proposals, according to law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP.

They also claim that any family needing planning permission to share their home could face a bill of around £4,000.

READ MORE: Airbnb wants crackdown plans to be suitable for all of Scotland

Opponents have also warned that hosts would also need to pay for a licence application fee from their local authority and potentially bear the cost of Scottish Government mandated renovations such as replacing wooden floors with carpet or vinyl flooring.

Patrick Robinson, director of public policy at Airbnb, said: “These proposals will put jobs at risk, price Scottish families out of hosting and shift tourism pounds away from those that rely on the income to help make ends meet.

“It can’t be right that hosts need to rip up their floors and hire consultants before they can welcome a guest into their home for the night.

“We want to find a balanced approach and work with the Government to regulate short-term lets while protecting livelihoods, ensuring we prioritise the needs of local families who need the additional income most and who are the beating heart of Scottish hospitality.”

Airbnb instead supports a national registration system that would allow local councils to see the spread of short-term lets to inform any decision to introduce a licensing regime - with the company stressing that any rules or regulations must be proportionate.

The news comes after 38 prominent figures from the tourism sector penned a letter to Housing Minister Kevin Stewart, calling on him to delay the licensing plans amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Association of Scottish Self Caterers (ASSC) chief executive, Fiona Campbell, who is leading the plea, said: “The regulations that self-catering is facing may well inflict the kind of damage on our vital sector, key to creating the memory-making holidays Scotland is famous for, from which it will never recover.

“That is why our friends, peers, and colleagues from across Scottish tourism have joined with us to send this clear, unambiguous, and direct message to Mr Stewart and his ministerial colleagues – rethink this or you’ll hurt us irreversibly.

“Covid-19 has done a lot of damage to Scotland’s economy, the last thing we need is to compound it with this poorly thought out, ham-fisted, and counterproductive act of sabotage”

Mr Stewart said the Scottish Government plans “will ensure these properties adhere to a common set of safety standards to protect guests and neighbours”.

He added: “This is part of our work to ensure a responsible and sustainable approach to tourism, which better balances the benefits of tourism with wider community needs and concerns.

“Local authorities will also have powers to tackle issues around noise and nuisance faced by neighbours in some areas and they will use these powers proportionately. The measures followed careful consideration of responses to our 2019 consultation and evidence provided by independent research.”