Edinburgh Airbnb-style accommodation: Consultation asks how short-term let licensing scheme is working

A 12-week consultation by Edinburgh City Council invites people - neighbours, property owners and anyone else - to share their experiences of the scheme as part of a planned review of the policy.

The increase in short-term lets caused concern about the impact on availability of homes. Picture: Ian Rutherford | TSPL

Edinburgh led the campaign for legislation to deal with concerns over the growth of Airbnb-style accommodation in the Capital and across Scotland. Critics said the increasing number of flats being used as short-term lets was “hollowing out” communities and reducing the number of properties available to become permanent homes.

The city was designated Scotland’s first short-term let control zone in 2022, meaning that anyone letting out an entire residential property, which was not their principal home, on a short-term basis required planning permission for a change of use.

The licensing scheme, requiring anyone providing short-term let accommodation to have a licence or face a fine of up to £2,500, formally came into force last year. City council chiefs said in May that a drop of more than 3,000 in Airbnb listings in the Capital suggested the policy was working.

But industry representatives argue the legislation is a threat to Scotland's tourism sector and wider economy, removing a swathe of affordable holiday accommodation.

The council said the consultation would allow residents, stakeholders and businesses affected by the operation of the scheme to offer comments and feedback.

Discussions are also planned with resident groups, industry bodies and other key stakeholders on matters such as temporary exemptions, fees, and the application process.

A report highlighting the results of the consultation and making further recommendations is due to be brought forward in the autumn.

Regulatory committee convener Neil Ross said: “Since we launched Edinburgh's STL licensing policy in October 2022, we've granted over 1,500 applications. This is helping to ensure holiday lets are safe and properly regulated in our city.

"We now want to hear how the scheme has impacted the residents and businesses of Edinburgh. The opportunity for everyone to input into how the short term lets licensing scheme is working was a commitment we gave last year and over the coming weeks, we want to hear your views.

“I’m confident this will help us to better understand how people are finding the regulation through licensing of short-term lets in Edinburgh and help inform any future decision making."