Fergus Ewing has launched a scathing attack on his party’s short-term lets licensing scheme as SNP leaders debate whether to suspend him.
The rebel backbencher will be absent from Holyrood this week after contracting Covid.
But he has spoken out against the “draconian laws” ahead of a Tory-led debate to delay the scheme on Wednesday.
It comes as the veteran MSP for Inverness and Nairn faces being suspended from the party, following a series of rebellions.
Business owners have already raised their concerns about the new system for short-term let accommodation ahead of its introduction on October 1.
The mandatory scheme will include holiday cottages, B&Bs, guests houses, as well as pods and yurts.
The crackdown intends to tackle concerns over the high number of Airbnb-type properties in areas such as Edinburgh.
All short-term let accommodation must have a licence and those who fail to apply can be fined up to £2,500.
In an early indication he could rebel against the government, Mr Ewing told the P&J he would vote in the “interests of his constituents” and “conscience”.
The SNP leadership is already said to be considering disciplinary action against Mr Ewing after he voted against Green minister Lorna Slater in a confidence vote over her handling of the botched deposit return scheme.
Further rebellion could hasten the pressure on First Minister Humza Yousaf to act.
‘Made to feel like criminals’
Mr Ewing said the regulations have already caused “many businesses” in his Highland constituency to decide to close, blaming costs and complexity.
He told the P&J: “Hard working law-abiding people now made to feel they are like criminals. This is what the industry are telling MSPs.
“If not halted, this will turn economically active properties into inactive ones and will cause massive loss of income to many Highland communities.
“It will drive many ordinary families abroad because they won’t be able to afford increased hotel prices.”
When will it come into force?
Ministers insist the scheme will ensure short-term let properties are regulated in the same way as other types of accommodation, such as hotels and caravans.
MSPs will tomorrow vote on calls for the new licensing regime to be delayed for a year.
It has already been pushed back by six months to October 1, but some of the sector have asked for more time.
No operator to date has been refused a licence, among those who have already applied.
More than 1,500 people working in Scottish tourism have signed a letter in a “final plea” to the first minister urging him to pause the plans.
Existing hosts have had 20 months to comply with conditions and a year to prepare and submit their application.
Murdo Fraser, Tory tourism spokesman, said: “It was designed to tackle problem city-centre units, but B&Bs, guest houses and those seeking house-swap arrangements will now be hit with crippling additional costs and bureaucracy.”
Living Rent, the national tenants’ union, have previously said the guidance needs to be implemented in order to better regulate the short-term let market and bring short-term lets into the private sector due to the serious shortage of homes Edinburgh is facing.
Member of the union, Eilidh Keay, told STV: “Edinburgh is in the midst of a disastrous housing crisis, and the uncontrolled explosion in short-term lets over the last 10 years has only made it worse.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Regulation of short term lets has been introduced at a time of significant growth and change in the sector and to make sure that accommodation is safe, including gas safety certificates and suitable electrical equipment, as well as responding to community concerns on the impacts.”
Conversation