AMID soaring Fringe accommodation prices, the City of Edinburgh Council has voted to make it easier for residents to rent spare rooms.
Changes will be made to the city’s short term let licensing scheme, making it easier for rooms to be rented out for the Fringe following a vote by councillors.
During high-demand periods those who wish to rent their home on a short-term basis will now have fewer regulatory issues to worry about.
In such cases the council will now do away with requirements such as electrical safety inspections, legionella testing, and copies of safety certification being given to guests.
The goal is to make it easier for homeowners and for guests at times when demand for rooms is high.
The council is even reducing application fees for people who let spare rooms while staying in the property themselves.
Application fees for short term let licenses will also be reduced to encourage residents aiming to let out spare rooms.
Application fees are currently set at £250, increasing to £350 if total occupancy is above five and £600 if it’s above 11.
Under the new rules for particularly busy periods, this will be reduced to £120 across the board.
A consultation on the new rules was presented to councillors on Friday and showed that the majority of respondents believed restrictions on licenses shouldn’t be removed.
Despite this, the new rules were voted in and will come into effect in time for this year’s Fringe Festival.
