'Stop demonising' plea as figures show empty homes outnumbering holiday lets

Empty homes outnumber holiday lets in a majority of UK destinations, with Aberdeen singled out north of the Border, according to new figures.

Industry leaders noted that with housing shortages across the country, holiday lets were often the scapegoat, blamed for hoovering up properties in desirable locations. However, an analysis of 313 UK local authority areas reveals that 58 per cent of them actually have more homes sitting vacant long term than holiday lets.

The study by the Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA) and holiday home data provider Key Data, suggests that in Aberdeen there are 4.6 times more empty homes than holiday lets. The worst affected area UK-wide was found to be Arun Borough, which includes the popular seaside resort of Bognor Regis, where there are 6.7 times more long-term empty properties than holiday lets.

Top UK tourist destinations with more empty homes than holiday lets (notable local tourist destinations in brackets).

The report argues that holiday lets can offer “more authentic local experiences” to guests than hotels, and are responsible for attracting huge amounts of spending to local businesses. Meanwhile, vacant homes might sit empty for years, not benefiting communities in any way, much like unlet second homes.

An Oxford Economics report found that, in 2021, the short-term let sector contributed £27.7 billion to gross domestic product (GDP), and supported almost half a million jobs. Despite this, new measures mean that holiday lets can be subject to similar tax premiums as long-term vacant homes. There are 330,325 long-term empty homes in England, Scotland and Wales according to latest official figures.

Recent legislation in Scotland means that anyone operating a short-term let needs to have a licence from their local council to do so.

Andy Fenner, chief executive of the UK Short Term Accommodation Association, said: “Holiday lets have been taking the blame for the housing crisis for a long time but this research reveals the true picture. We all need somewhere to live and we all need somewhere to work. This research shows that holiday lets are not to blame for the housing crisis, but rather the blame lies with councils allowing homes to sit idle.

“Holiday lets create much-needed jobs in communities up and down the country - empty homes produce nothing. Most councils are sitting on so many long-term empty homes that they eclipse the numbers of holiday lets in their area. This is where policymakers should be looking to solve the housing crisis, not scapegoating an industry responsible for jobs and investment in areas that often have nothing else.”

Fenner added: “The way people are being demonised for letting out their homes to families who want to enjoy a holiday in the UK is outrageous, especially while empty homes are barely talked about as a problem. The housing crisis is a complex issue, and it cannot be solved overnight, but making use of our existing housing stock would be a great place to start. Holiday lets allow people to explore all that this country has to offer. We should be helping them and protecting the thousands of jobs they support.”

Scotland's housing emergency demands radical solutions. Here's where to start