Travelnest news
Short-term let controls in Edinburgh
29 Jun 2022
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By Sophie Eminson
Earlier this year, Edinburgh Council announced plans to designate the city as a short-term let control area. The draft proposals will now go to Scottish Government ministers for final approval before being publicised for 28 days prior to taking effect, which will take place next year. The new short-term let controls in Edinburgh mean that anyone with a second home in the city which is used for short-term letting, will now be required to apply for planning permission in order to continue letting the property. We’ve outlined why the change is happening, and what the next actions are for hosts in the Scottish capital.
Planning permission in Edinburgh for short-term lets
A third of short-term lets in Scotland are in Edinburgh, with it being estimated that the city has around 7,000 private homes used for short-term lets; such as holiday homes on Airbnb. Edinburgh council are aiming to cap the amount of short-term rental properties all over the city, and ensure half of these homes are being used for long-term accommodation. The reason for this bill is to create a balance between local housing supply and tourism demand. You can find out more about why the bill was approved here.
As a result of this, owners of second homes used for short-term rental purposes in the Scottish capital must now apply for planning permission for ‘change of use’. The change will not apply to any home owners who have been operating as a short-term let for over 10 years. Short-term rental owners in Edinburgh will have until April 1st 2023 to apply for planning permission for each property that they operate as a short-term let, and all short-term rentals must have been approved by July 1st 2024. Hosts can apply for planning permission now, our partner channel Airbnb have outlined more about the application process and next steps.
You can find out more about the type of short-term lets which the bill will apply to on the The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers Supporting self-catering in Scotland website, more specifically in this Q&A. The ASSC support short-term let hosts all over Scotland and we recommend staying up to date with any updates or news.
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