CLEAR ANSWERS
Questions, answered clearly.
Everything you need to know about our Edinburgh holiday let management, Scottish STL compliance, guest screening, and financial returns.
Scottish Short-Term Let (STL) Licensing & Compliance
Do I need a Short-Term Let (STL) licence to operate in Edinburgh?
Yes. Under Scottish legislation introduced in 2022, all short-term lets in Edinburgh must hold an STL licence granted by the City of Edinburgh Council. For secondary lets (properties that are not your principal home), you must also hold planning permission or a Certificate of Lawfulness before the Council issues a full licence.
Can Capital City Stays help me obtain planning permission and an STL licence?
Absolutely. We guide owners through the entire regulatory process. We work alongside accredited Edinburgh planning consultants and local architects who handle planning applications, acoustic impact reports, floor plans, and public notices to give your application the best possible chance of approval.
What statutory safety certificates are required by law for Edinburgh holiday lets?
To comply with Scottish STL licensing, your property must hold a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), an annual Gas Safety Certificate (if gas is connected), an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), a Legionella Risk Assessment, and interlinked optical smoke and heat alarms that meet Scottish statutory standards. We coordinate all necessary inspections on your behalf.
Financials, Pricing & Fees
How much rental revenue can my Edinburgh property generate?
Revenue depends on size, location, architectural appeal, and finish. In central Edinburgh (New Town, Old Town, Stockbridge), a high-quality 2-bedroom property typically generates between £38,000 and £65,000+ gross annually. Peak months like August (Fringe Festival) and December (Hogmanay) command significant nightly rate surges. We provide a tailored, data-backed revenue projection during our initial consultation.
What are your management fees and are there any upfront setup costs?
We operate on a transparent, commission-based management fee tied directly to booking revenue. If your property doesn’t earn, we don’t earn. There are zero upfront onboarding fees, zero monthly retainers, and zero contractor markup fees on repairs.
When and how do I receive my rental payouts?
Owner earnings are disbursed monthly via direct BACS bank transfer. Together with your payout, you receive a detailed, itemised monthly statement showing all completed bookings, nightly rates, platform fees, cleaning revenue, and net proceeds.
Guest Screening, Safety & Tenement Harmony
How do you screen and vet incoming guests?
We enforce rigorous guest screening protocols. We check guest verification IDs, inspect past host reviews across booking channels, verify the purpose of visit, and maintain a minimum booking age of 25+. We have a zero-tolerance policy for stag/hen parties, unauthorized gatherings, or disruptive behaviour.
What protection is in place in the rare event of property damage?
All bookings are secured by platform host protection policies (such as Airbnb AirCover, which covers up to $3,000,000 in damage protection) along with mandatory pre-authorized security deposits. Crucially, our turnover teams conduct a detailed photographic inspection checklist immediately after every guest departure to identify and document any issues.
How do you protect neighbour relations in historic Edinburgh tenements?
Neighbour respect is essential to sustainable holiday letting in Edinburgh. We provide clear stairwell etiquette in our digital guest guides, enforce quiet hours between 10pm and 8am, install discreet privacy-safe noise sensors that alert our team if noise exceeds agreed thresholds, and provide our 24/7 team telephone number to immediate neighbours.
Turnovers, Maintenance & Owner Stays
Can I stay in my own property whenever I want?
Yes, completely at your convenience. There are no restrictions, blackout dates, or penalties for owner stays. You have access to your live owner calendar to block out dates for your own family, friends, or personal use with a single click or message.
Who provides the bed linen and towels?
We supply premium 5-star hotel-standard white cotton linen and plush towels, laundered offsite by commercial specialist laundries. This ensures pristine hygiene, reduces wear and tear on your personal linens, and guarantees five-star guest presentation every time.
How quickly can Capital City Stays launch my property?
If your property already has a valid STL licence or is a compliant home-share, we can complete interior staging, professional photography, listing copywriting, and multi-channel publication within 7 to 10 working days.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Speak directly with our Edinburgh team.
Every property has its own nuances, from tenement stairwell layouts to historic listed building requirements. We’re always here to discuss your property in detail.
Princes Street 40, Level 4
Edinburgh, EH2 2BY
Direct telephone: 07407 238339
Email: Contactcapitalstays@gmail.com
Office hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 6:00pm
24/7 Guest & Maintenance Emergency Line for Active Hosts