Edinburgh Faces Housing Crisis Amid Short-Term Let Rules

Recent analysis reveals that Edinburgh's stringent short-term let regulations have failed to alleviate the city's affordable housing crisis, resulting in rents rising almost twice as fast as the rest of Scotland. Despite the introduction of a licensing scheme in 2022, which aimed to control short-term rentals, rents increased by 13.9% in the past year, bringing the average rent to £1,376. In contrast, planning applications for short-term lets in Edinburgh have a rejection rate of 90%, with only those who have operated for over ten years seeing a 75% approval rate for certificates of lawfulness. Meanwhile, the Derbyshire Dales faces similar issues, as rising property prices due to second homes and holiday lets are pushing families out of the housing market. Critics argue that the government’s blanket classification of non-primary residences as 'second homes' obscures the need for more targeted policy solutions to preserve long-term rental properties. Additionally, proposed rent hikes by the Scottish Government have sparked backlash from local MSPs who advocate for stronger rent controls to protect tenants in the city.