Public consultations that could change the rules for short-term lets and holiday lets in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with closing dates and how to respond. Every detail comes from the official consultation page, linked on each one. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
Open now: 6 consultations
2 close within 14 days. The next closes on Sun 15 Nov 2026: Proposed short-term let control area (Mull and Iona; Coll and Tiree; Islay, Jura and Colonsay; Oban, Lorn and the Inner Isles) (Argyll and Bute Council).
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What happens after the open consultations close:
Argyll and Bute (planning control area, closes 15 Nov): findings go to a future council meeting; if approved, the Scottish Government would have to agree before it could start
Falkirk (visitor levy, closes 25 Nov): Full Council expected to decide in January 2027
Dundee (visitor levy, closes 27 Nov): earliest a levy could apply is 2028/29
Highland (visitor levy, closes 30 Nov): councillors could decide on 10 December 2026
Moray (second homes council tax, closes 14 Dec): report to Full Council in January 2027
In a control area, planning permission would always be needed for a new change of use of a home (including flats) to a short-term let. The council says it would only affect new secondary-letting proposals, not existing operators, and the Scottish Government would have to agree before it could be introduced. The consultation was extended by two weeks to 15 November after the council corrected a table in its materials.
Draft short-term let accommodation Supplementary Planning Guidelines (SPG) 11 days left
Who is consulting
Belfast City Council
Where
Belfast (Northern Ireland)
Topic
Planning guidance
Opened
not stated (announced 24 Aug 2026 as a 12-week consultation)
Closes
Mon 16 Nov 2026 5pm
How to respond
On the council's Your Say platform, by email to localdevelopmentplan@belfastcity.gov.uk, or by post to Local Development Plan, Belfast Planning Service, Cecil Ward Building, 4-10 Linenhall Street, Belfast BT2 8BP. Submissions after 5pm on 16 November will not be considered.
Non-statutory guidance supporting Policy HOU13 (short-term let accommodation) in the Belfast Local Development Plan. The council says it will be a material consideration in deciding planning applications for short-term lets, both new-build and change of use.
Asks about the accommodation covered, areas, rate, exemptions, collection and whether a levy should be introduced at all. Full Council is expected to decide in January 2027.
Online survey (about 10 minutes) linked from the council page. Paper copies at The McManus and the Central Library. Help: 01382 549946.
Two options: 5% of the room price per night, or a fixed £5 per room per night. You can also say there should be no levy. The council says the earliest a levy could apply is 2028/29.
Engage Highland portal. Paper forms from local libraries and service points, by phone on 01349 781020 or by email to visitorlevyconsultation@highland.gov.uk.
Proposed £5 per room or area per night for hotels, B&Bs, short-term lets and similar, and £2 for hostels, campsites and caravan parks, charged for nine months of the year (not December to February). Councillors could decide on 10 December 2026; an 18-month lead-in would follow.
Survey on Moray Engage. Hard copies from Information Hubs in libraries across Moray. Questions: CtxEnq@moray.gov.uk.
Asks how far the current 100% second home premium (and the 100% charge on long-term empty homes) should rise, now councils can go above 100% from 1 April 2026, and what reliefs to offer. It does not consider cutting the charges. A report goes to Full Council in January 2027.
Classification of self-catering properties for local tax purposes Closed
Who is consulting
Welsh Government
Where
All of Wales
Topic
Business rates / council tax
Opened
Fri 31 Jul 2026
Closed
Fri 30 Oct 2026 11:59pm (extended from 23 Oct)
Reviewed the criteria for classing self-catering properties for local tax (the 182-day rule) and proposed exemptions. Responses are being reviewed; the outcome is not published yet.
The Statutory Regulation of Tourist Accommodation Closed
Who is consulting
Department for the Economy (with Tourism NI)
Where
All of Northern Ireland
Topic
Licensing / certification
Opened
Tue 14 Oct 2025
Closed
Tue 6 Jan 2026 5pm
Proposed updates to the minimum standards and statutory categories for certified tourist accommodation, including self-catering. No outcome is shown on the page yet.
We check UK government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive consultation pages, and council consultation hubs, for anything on short-term let licensing or registration, planning control areas and Article 4 directions, visitor levies, second home council tax premiums, business rates and fire safety. A consultation is only listed once we have read it on the official page. If a date or detail isn't on that page, we say "not stated".
General information only, not legal or tax advice. Consultations can be extended or closed early, so check the official page before you rely on a date. The UK Short-Let Rules team
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