At Home In Edinburgh

🤩 Anyone else off to a good start this Friday?

Well done to Lauren and the team for another fantastic review! 👏

🏠 EDINBURGH'S SECOND-HOME COUNCIL TAX

Concerned property owners have been in touch with us in recent weeks, looking to explore their options following Edinburgh City Council's decision to proceed with applying a 300% council tax premium for second homes.

The premium increase will come into effect from 1st January 2027, meaning it's only a few months until the cost of second-home ownership increases substantially.

So, here’s our guide to Edinburgh’s second-home council tax, what it means for you as a second-home owner, and options you can explore to successfully manage the 300% premium:

👉 tinyurl.com/EdinburghSecondHomeCouncilTax

We're always happy to have a quick chat or to answer any questions, so please get in touch if we can help at all.

🦆 Yes, folks - the weather is on the turn, and it's time to share one of our favourite photos!

One of our property managers snapped these free-range West End ducks a while back, and it's a great reminder of the many things we love about working in Edinburgh.

You never quite know what you might come across between property valuations, rental assessments, and viewings!

New damp and mould regulations for private landlords in Scotland will come into force on 6th October 2026, as part of the new Housing (Scotland) Act 2025.

The Scottish Government has now published detailed guidance on the new regulations, which are known as Awaab's Law.

While the existing Repairing Standard and Tolerable Standard set out the standards to which private landlords must keep their properties, Awaab's Law introduces statutory deadlines within which investigations, repairing works, and reporting must be carried out.

Read our updated article here: tinyurl.com/AwaabsLawScotland

Remember, our team are just an email or phone call away if you have any questions or need any support.

Anyone else's Friday just got off to a 'phenomenal' start? 🎉

Building relationships with our landlords, tenants, and contractors is what makes everything else work - the proof, as they say, is in the review pudding!

🏡 If you've been caught in Edinburgh's backlog of short-term let licence applications, change-of-use planning permission for your short-term let, perhaps the new tourist tax is the final straw for you...

So, perhaps you're thinking of a move to long-term letting?

We know that it can seem like a daunting process, and choosing a good property management company can make all the difference.

At Home In Edinburgh is an award-winning family-run company, with a focus on exceptional service, industry expertise, and streamlined processes.

We're here to make your life easier - right from our simple onboarding!

If long-term letting might be for you, then take a look at our online landlord hub, or get in touch for a chat:

www.athomeinedinburgh.co.uk/landlords/

"To add insult to injury, it’s also been concocted in such a way that it is an absolute nightmare to implement"

Could Edinburgh's new tourist tax be the final straw for some of the capital's short-term let property owners?

Ralph Averburch, self-catering property owner and director of the Edinburgh branch of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC), was quoted in the Independent last month, explaining how the tourist tax puts increased pressure on small businesses.

Another self-catering property owner described how complicated the scheme is, with multiple exclusions on the tax and VAT due on the levy.

As an Edinburgh property business, we've seen how challenging recent years have been for short-term letting, and in 2022 we pivoted our focus to managing long-term lets only.

Edinburgh's private rental market is robust, withstanding the challenges of the previous years, including Covid and the cost of living crisis, and demand for private residential properties remains high.

If you're a short-term let property owner considering your options, you might be on a fact-finding mission, before making a decision.

Here's where we can help.

We can advise on the average long-term rental yields in your area and provide a free, no-obligation, property assessment service. This gives you a rental evaluation and an honest appraisal of your property’s potential, including expected long-term rental values.

Let us know if you've any questions we can help with, or request a free property assessment - you'll find the link in the comments.