Interesting Links for 24-11-2021

[andrewducker]

Covid stamp duty holiday cost £6.4bn and helped rich house buyers in south

(tags:housing uk OhForFucksSake )

In simple English, what does it mean for a number to be transcendental?

(tags:numbers )

Americans are struggling to deal with a rising tide of hatred and extremism

(tags:USA hate bigotry school LGBT )

What gets to be a valid word? A linguist's view

(tags:language )

The woman with XY chromosomes

(tags:women genetics )

New licencing laws for short term lets in Scotland

(tags:rental Scotland housing )

The Moral of the Roller-Skating Christmas Pudding - the Significance of the Absenteeism of the Lord Chancellor

(tags:politics law uk )

The Conspiracy Chart

(tags:conspiracy visualisation )

When Americans think each season starts

(tags:time date usa polls )

Striving For Perfection, Rather Than Excellence, Can Kill Creativity

(tags:psychology creativity perfectionism )

Comments

Short-Term Lets in Scotland

[danieldwilliam]

I am broadly content with the new rules on licencing and controlling short-term lets.

As a resident of Edinburgh and the owner of a holiday let in more rural Scotland I think they are about right.

I think I'd like to see more powers to remove licences from owners who run their short-term lets in an anti-social way.

I'd also like to see the control and licencing schemes able to be used to raise some revenue significantly above the costs of administering the scheme.

Re: Short-Term Lets in Scotland

[andrewducker]

I think taxing it for revenue is a good idea, so long as we don't push it too far. I do like the idea of making it easy for people to visit Edinburgh.

Re: Short-Term Lets in Scotland

[danieldwilliam]

There's definitely a balance to be struck. Some areas have too many holiday lets. Some have the right amount. Some areas have quite a strong net positive experience of holiday lets in terms of the economic and cultural benefits. Some areas the marginal benefit of an additional holiday let is probably outweighed by the marginal disbeneifts from lost housing, anti-social behaiour and so one. AirBnB's in Edinburgh could probably stand a bit of taxation. Holiday lets in the Highlands probably less so - or the impact of a tax on holiday lets in the Highlands is likely to raise less revenue than is brought in through the benefits of tourism.