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An Edinburgh secondary letting licence is required if you let a property that is not your main home, including second homes, buy-to-let flats, and investment properties. Issued by the City of Edinburgh Council, it is the most complex short-term let licence type in Edinburgh as it requires planning permission in addition to the licence itself. EdinBnB manages the full secondary letting licence application and planning permission process on your behalf, then manages your let for a flat 20% commission: you keep 80%.
An Edinburgh secondary letting licence covers you to let a property that is not your main home. This includes second homes, buy-to-let flats and investment properties.
Unlike a home letting licence, secondary letting is classed as a change of use under Scottish planning law, which means you need planning permission for short-term letting on top of your licence before you can legally take bookings.
The licence itself lasts 1 year for new applicants and must be renewed annually.
New licence fee, based on 1 to 3 guests. Scales up to £5,869 for 21 or more guests.
Licence duration for new applicants. Must be renewed annually.
Required across the entire city before your licence can be granted. No exceptions.
Secondary letting licence fees are non-refundable once submitted. On renewal, licences can be granted for up to 3 years.
This is the most important thing to understand before you apply. Planning permission and your licence are two separate consents, and you need both.
Since September 2022, the whole of Edinburgh is a Short-Term Let Control Area. Letting a property that is not your main home is classed as a material change of use under Scottish planning law. This means you must apply for planning permission separately from (and in addition to) your licence application.
If your property was already operating as a short-term let before 5 September 2022, you do not need a full planning application. Instead you can apply for a Certificate of Lawfulness, which confirms your use was established before the control area came into force.
This is the biggest issue for Edinburgh landlords. Properties in tenement buildings with shared entrances are very unlikely to be granted planning permission for change of use. If your property is a tenement flat, you should seek planning advice before investing time and money in a licence application.
Got questions about your secondary letting licence in Edinburgh? Here are the answers to what landlords and investors ask most.
Yes. Since September 2022, the whole of Edinburgh is a Short-Term Let Control Area. Letting a property that is not your main home is classed as a material change of use, which means planning permission is required on top of your licence. Both consents are assessed independently.
This is the most common issue for Edinburgh investors. Properties in tenement buildings with shared entrances are very unlikely to be granted planning permission for change of use. If your property is a tenement flat, seek planning advice before investing time and money in an application.
Not necessarily. If your short-term let was established before 5 September 2022, you may be able to apply for a Certificate of Lawfulness instead of a full planning application. This confirms your use was established before the control area came into force.
Edinburgh Council targets 4 months but legally has up to 9 months to process your application. Plan well ahead – you cannot take bookings until your licence is formally granted.
If planning permission is refused, your secondary letting licence will also be refused. You can appeal the planning decision to the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), but this is a lengthy process. Taking professional planning advice before applying is strongly recommended.
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