Edinburgh’s short term let applications have a refusal rate of 84% in the last year, according to recent data.
Short term lets are furnished properties rented for temporary periods and usually occupied by tourists or business travellers, using sites such as Airbnb.
According to data from Edinburgh planning platform City Scope, 1,091 short term let applications have been submitted since January 2025.
Of these, 464 have been refused, while only 88 have been accepted, meaning an 84% refusal rate by the council so far, with 478 applications still waiting on a decision.
The EH1 postcode, which encompasses Edinburgh’s city centre and Old Town, was the most popular for short term let applications with 25% of all applications.
This was followed by the EH3 postcode on 18% and the EH7 postcode on 12%
EH6, which encompasses most of Leith, was in 6th place on 7%.
September 2025 was by far the month with the most applications in the recorded period, with a peak of 201 applications. With the exception of February 2025 when 110 applications were submitted, no other month saw three-figure application numbers.
The data also shows that several applications came from numerous flats within an individual block.
5 Drummond Street, at the location of Drummond House near the Assembly Rooms, had nine individual applications. Opposite Haymarket Station, six individual applications were submitted at 4 Haymarket Terrace.
Webster’s Land, situated in the city’s West Port, had 10 applications and was the busiest street cluster in the city.
Edinburgh city councillors announced in last week’s full council meeting that they would explore a “loophole” allowing short-term lets to operate without planning controls.
City Scope has been contacted for comment.
