A MEETING of the City of Edinburgh Council regulatory committee last month proposed changes to the controversial short term let (STL) licensing policies introduced by the council.
The policy has made it harder for STLs to operate in the city and lowered the number of new STLs introduced.
The crackdown on STLs in the city was aimed at addressing the housing crisis but locals were split on the decision to introduce it.
Changes made to the policy will make it easier to rent a spare room in your own home on a short-term basis, making it cheaper to get a license in this case.
They will also make it easier to be granted temporary permission to operate a STL in Edinburgh.
Finally, following another report by the regulatory committee due in May the council may decide to extend license renewals from one year to three years.
This change, if followed through on, would make it easier to operate a holiday let in the city, particularly useful for those hoping to operate Fringe accommodation.
A 12-week consultation was held over the summer when residents and industry alike were encouraged to share their experiences of the policy.
Topics included were secondary letting, temporary exemptions, fees and the application process.
Discussions with resident groups, industry bodies and other key stakeholders led to 780 responses being submitted.
The council then recommended some changes to policy in these areas based on the feedback received.
Regulatory convener, Councillor Neil Ross, said: “The council’s short term lets licensing policy is helping to ensure holiday lets are safe and properly regulated in our city as over 4,400 applications have been granted since it was first introduced in October 2022.
“I welcome the changes to reduce licence fees for residents looking to home share and to make temporary exemptions for home sharing and home letting less onerous, while at the same time providing robust regulation of the short term let industry.
“I’d like to thank all of the residents and businesses across Edinburgh who took the time to tell us how the scheme is working for them.”
