Short-term lets
Under legislation approved by the Scottish Parliament, East Lothian Council, like all Scottish licensing authorities, established a short-term lets (STL) licensing scheme from 1 October 2022.
All existing hosts (operating prior to 1 October 2022) were required to apply for a licence by 1 October 2023. Since October 2023, all licence applications have to be determined before a host can take bookings or receive guests.
Currently, East Lothian Council has not designated any Control Areas however this will be reviewed over time. You will need to check if your particular property needs planning permission to be used to provide short-term lets. You can contact the Planning department at environment@eastlothian.gov.uk or 01620 827216. If you apply for a STL licence and you do not have the required Planning Permissions or CLUD (Certificate of Lawful Use or Development), East Lothian Council will refuse to consider your application. You will then have three months from the date of your application for a STL licence, to lodge an application for Planning Permission or a CLUD. In the event Planning Permission or a CLUD is not granted, the licence application fee will not be refunded.
Further information can be found on the Scottish Government website:
- latest information about the regulation of short-term lets
- current Scottish Government guidance for hosts and operators
In the Related Downloads section on this page, you can find:
- licence application form
- definition of a short-term let
- guidance notes
- site notice
- compliance notice
- mandatory conditions
- additional conditions
- fire service safety checklist
- policy statement
You can also find information on completing a Fire Risk Assessment here Fire safety risk assessment: forms and guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Commenting on a licence application
Comments can be made by anyone and can be objections, support or observations about the application. Comments on licence applications must include your name and address or name and email address and cannot be treated as confidential as they will form part of the public record once a decision has been made on the application, Licence applications are notified through a site notice posted at the site. You have 21 days from the date the notice is displayed, to submit your comments.
What you can comment on:
Matters that affect your how you live, as a neighbour of the premise in question. This can include:
- Loss of privacy
- Traffic generation and road safety
- Noise
- Impact on increased activity
Matters that cannot be considered:
- Property values
- Commercial competition
- Details of title deeds
- Planning policy
- Local Housing Strategy
- Local Economic Development Strategy
Objection/Representation Pro-forma
Download the current licence fees
Applications which are refused or withdrawn will not be refunded.
If you require further information about this topic, contact the Licensing Team at the Council at stl@eastlothian.gov.uk or by telephone to 01620 827664 and leave a voicemail if officers are not available.
The Public Register of Short-term Let licenses in East Lothian can be found here