Updated 30 October 2026
This is a summary of official guidance with links to it, not legal advice. The council that grants your licence has the final word, and may add conditions of its own.
Every short-term let in Scotland needs a licence from the local council. In Edinburgh, the council says you cannot take bookings or receive guests until you have one, and that a whole property let short-term also needs planning permission, applied for before the licence. (City of Edinburgh Council: short-term lets)
The conditions every licence carries
The Scottish Government’s guide to the legal requirements for short-term let accommodation lists what hosts must have in place (mygov.scot: legal requirements). In short:
- Fire. Heat, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and a fire risk assessment.
- Gas. A gas safety certificate dated within the last 12 months, where there is gas.
- Electrical. An Electrical Installation Condition Report for the fixed wiring, and portable appliance testing for appliances guests can use.
- Water. An assessment of the Legionella risk, with separate conditions for private water supplies.
- Occupancy. No more guests than the licence allows.
- Insurance. Buildings insurance and public liability insurance.
- Repair. The property meets the repairing standard.
- Information for guests. A copy of the licence and its conditions, and the safety documents, available to guests.
Hosting in your own home? How to Airbnb your home legally in Edinburgh covers the licence types, planning and the Visitor Levy.
Where a cleaning company helps
Most of this is paperwork done once a year or less. What slips between visits is the day-to-day: alarms tested, water run through in quiet weeks, the occupancy and safety information still in the flat. On a monthly licence check visit (£20) we test the alarms, check the fire-safety items and flush the water, and log each one with a date, so the record is there if the council asks.
Short-let cleaning in Edinburgh · Book cleaning · Get a price