Airbnb the problem?

Regarding your recent article re accommodation shortages, the council is not responsible, and does not and/or has not taken local planning/local development plan(s) steps to regulate the exploded Airbnb property ownership market, which has significantly led to accommodation/housing shortages.

Life in a caravan for social care worker struggling to find house after move north

If the housing department can buy a few private houses to experiment with in terms of taking/adding to public housing stock, perhaps its investment arm – Shetland Leasing and Property Development (previously a Shetland Charitable Trust company) – could buy the St Magnus and Kveldsro hotels to provide temporary essential worker accommodation at private sector rent rates.

That said workers, or potential workers moving here have a personal responsibility to ensure they have accommodation before starting contracts. It is called forward planning. This is particularly so if bringing a large family of pets.

Surely residency in a quality hotel ‘type’ accommodation would be preferable to a caravan, with Hairst and Yule soon approaching? A cattery and kennels could be erected at the back, perhaps.

James J Paton
Lerwick