Licence for short term lets

All short term lets like Airbnbs in Midlothian will need a licence.

New law

The move comes in the wake of new Scottish Government legislation that requires local authorities to regulate short-term lets by introducing a licensing scheme.

Council policy

At the full Council meeting on Tuesday, councillors agreed to adopt a new short term lets policy.

Applications deadline

The policy gives a definition of a short-term let and timescales for when applications must be submitted in Midlothian.

When a licence is needed

The council has agreed to issue licences for secondary lets, when someone lets out separate premises which is not their only or main home and also for home letting or home sharing.

New hosts

Anyone new who wants to offer a short-term let cannot do so until they have a licence.

Existing hosts

Anyone already offering short-term lets can continue to do so but must apply for a licence by 1 April 2023. The final deadline date for all hosts and properties to be licensed is the 1 July 2024.

Balancing needs

The licensing scheme is to help make sure the economic and tourism benefits from short-term lets are balanced with the needs and concerns of local communities.

Views sought

The public was consulted before the licensing scheme was introduced in Midlothian and the information given helped inform the new policy. Interested parties such as Police Scotland and the Scottish Association of Self-Caterers were also asked for their views. In total 29 people responded, with 55% of those people who are offering short term lets.