Edinburgh Council has secured its first conviction in its long-running battle against unlicensed short-term and holiday lets, with a landlord fined £600 and ordered to pay £500 compensation to a neighbour.

And the council says another 12 cases of unlicensed STLs have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

The case is part of an escalation in enforcement activity since the city became Scotland’s first designated short-term let control area in September 2022, requiring all landlords to obtain licences amid concerns over housing shortfalls, rising rents and anti-social behaviour.

heavy criticism

The council, though, has faced heavy criticism from campaign groups over a lack of action against rogue landlords, with Living Rent protesting earlier this month, accusing it of failing to enforce the rules.

And campaigners Living Rent claim the £600 fine amounts to less than a week’s stay and will do nothing to deter rogue landlords.

Convener of the Regulatory Committee, Cllr Neil Ross (pictured), however, says the conviction sends a clear message that operating without a licence is illegal.

According to Deadline News, the landlord of the property was reported to the Procurator Fiscal after a neighbour in the flat below experienced repeated loud noise and disruption and, on one occasion, witnessed 19 people staying at the property.

Future applications affected

The council says the conviction is likely to affect any future licence applications by the same owner, as landlords must be deemed a fit and proper person to operate as a registered landlord or licence holder.

Operating as an unregistered landlord carries a maximum fine of up to £50,000, while the maximum fine for an unlicensed STL is currently £2,500.

As of March 2025, the council had received 5,441 Short Term Let licence applications, of which 4,654 have been granted.