‘Airbnb means no rules and no safety’ – Edinburgh reacts to news of a clampdown on short-term lets

Readers have been giving their views over the report showing the scale of the problem of Airbnb and other short-term lets in Edinburgh. Figures show that in the council’s City Centre ward one in six properties are now Airbnbs.

One in six? In my tenement of 11 flats, one is the Knox foundation, three local residents of whom one is moving out and all the rest Airbnb. Do your maths.

Caroline Black Agnes Magoha

Edinburgh Council must be disappointed the number is so low. That means there are still residents living in the city centre.

Kacey Milne

So initially developers started building student accommodation to reduce the shortage of rented housing in Edinburgh to encourage them there instead of renting properties that could house families. Now we have thousands of student accommodation properties popping up but the issue isn’t fixed as we now have thousands of Airbnbs. So who is actually letting this happen?

Vikki Cavanagh

It’s everywhere. I moved to a flat that used to sublet to Airbnb two of its room. People want quick bucks and the middle class want to take holidays.

Paulo Seara

It is time that the city enforced the planning legislation. Westminster and other popular tourist destinations manage a balance between preserving the permanent residential housing stock and supporting tourism. Maximum 90 days let on short lets in any one year or change of use necessary which can then be refused. None of this is rocket science.

Andrew Crosbie

Not surprised. There’s an awful lot of those telltale key boxes on the doors of my Tollcross street.

Harriet Crawford

That’s exactly why I have moved out of Edinburgh!

Christina Thomson

Well it is the capital city and the most visited one in Scotland.

Tburd Park

The Airbnb could have new legislation coming in, in the new year. The owners may not like it as it will include an HMO license and pay HMRC as it’s a business, not cash in hand.

Ronald Ross

Such a surprise. You mean to tell me that the main tourist destination in Scotland caters for the most tourists?

Richard Fogarity

We need council housing desperately.

Paul Leith

Not just the city centre. It’s really bad in the suburbs.

Caol Forrest

What’s the problem? If you are going on holiday with family would you pay twice as much for a hotel or are you going for a villa with a pool for half the price?

Mike Komandos

People want to capitalise and make money! With austerity, caps on salary increase and an increase in price of food and clothes, people have to survive!

Sasha Amelia McLeod

Wow. No wonder people can’t find a home.

Mark Burdess

Airbnb means no rules, no safety and tax avoidance.

Saud Abdelsayed

If the City of Edinburgh Council didn’t want Airbnburgh, they’d be hammering the short-term lets in every way possible, but they’re not! All they’re doing is closing one a fortnight. Pointless.

Short Lets Warning Edinburgh Push Back

Cycle safety

A campaign aimed at drivers and cyclists has been launched to make the Capital’s roads safer. The Streets Ahead body joined Edinburgh City Council officials calling on road users to “look out for each other”.

I cycle and have a car and I believe that both cyclists and car drivers need to start looking at the way they cycle or drive for the safety of all road users. Too many people are in a hurry these days, so not paying attention to their manoeuvres on the road.

Brenda Barclay

Cyclist have no onus put on them whatsoever. Saying they don’t need to wear bright colours is the equivalent of saying I don’t need to drive about with lights on in my car.

Stephen Crawford

If you value your life, get yourself seen. I love cycling in Edinburgh, mostly use the cycling paths, but I always wear a helmet, and bright clothing and my cycle lights are on. A bit of common sense. Respect for me and others.

Louise Graham

Yet again, trying to remove self preservation responsibilities from cyclists. You are the most vulnerable road users, do not behave as if you are immortal. If cyclists were subject to the same rules as other road users and legislation was in place to enforce those laws casualty rates would fall.

David McGrath

I’ve seen 100s of cyclists without any lights, high vis or reflecting clothing and no helmets, and a few with their earphones in, and I’ve seen a few through the night that have been all over the road, possibly because they can be drunk and cycle (or try to). They don’t need to have any insurance and you want the onus on us drivers. Why don’t you just ban all traffic from the city, it’s a shambles anyway?

Jan Greig