The checklist above tells you what the council wants. This section explains each item properly: what good looks like, what to ask your contractors, and where Edinburgh homes most often fall short.
Fire safety for short lets: alarms, the risk assessment and escape routes
Fire safety is the part of the licence that matters most, and the part the council and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service look at most closely. The standard is the same one that applies to homes across Scotland: interlinked alarms, so that when one sounds, they all sound.
What good looks like
- A smoke alarm in the living room, or the room you use most during the day.
- A smoke alarm in every hallway and landing inside the home.
- A heat alarm in the kitchen.
- All of them interlinked, either hard-wired or with sealed, long-life batteries.
- A carbon monoxide alarm where there's a gas boiler, gas fire, wood burner or any other fuel-burning appliance.
- A fire blanket in the kitchen, within easy reach and not behind the hob.
The written fire risk assessment
This is a short document that looks at how a fire could start in the home, who would be at risk and how they'd get out. It should be written down, and any actions it recommends should be done before you apply. Review it whenever something changes, such as a new layout, new furniture or more guests.
Tenement flats
In a tenement, the common stair is usually the only way out. Guests need to know that, so keep the route clear and make sure the house manual explains how to leave in an emergency. Keys for any internal locks should be easy to find. Our guide to short-letting a tenement flat covers stairs and shared areas in more depth.
The floor plan you submit with the application should show where every alarm is, so the two documents need to agree. If you'd like us to book an assessor or an electrician to fit interlinked alarms, the costs go in your licence budget.
Gas and electrical safety certificates the council expects
Three certificates cover the gas and electrics, and between them they're the most common reason an application is held up.
| Certificate | What it covers | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Gas safety certificate | Every gas appliance, pipework and flue, checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer | Every 12 months |
| EICR | The fixed electrical installation: wiring, sockets, the consumer unit | At least every five years, or sooner if your electrician says so |
| PAT test | Portable appliances guests can use: kettle, toaster, lamps, hairdryer | As your electrician advises |
Practical tips
- Book the EICR and PAT test on the same visit. Most electricians do both, and it saves a second trip up the stair.
- Before the PAT test, gather every appliance a guest might use, including the ones in cupboards.
- Any new appliance bought later should be tested too. If you replace the kettle in March, it isn't on the January report.
- If the EICR finds anything marked as needing urgent attention, fix it and get the paperwork to show it's done before you apply.
- If the home has no gas at all, you don't need a gas certificate, but make that clear in the application.
Keep every report as a PDF with its date in the file name. You'll need them again at renewal, and guests should be able to see copies in the home. If you're missing any, we work with local electricians and Gas Safe engineers and can book them for you as part of your onboarding.
Legionella and water safety for short lets
A legionella risk assessment sounds technical, but for most Edinburgh flats it's short and straightforward. Legionella bacteria can grow in water that sits still at the wrong temperature, and the risk is higher in a home that's empty between guests.
What the assessment looks at
- How hot water is produced and stored: a combi boiler, a hot water cylinder or a tank in the loft.
- Whether any pipes or outlets are rarely used, such as a second bathroom or an outside tap.
- Shower heads and hoses, where water can sit.
- Any cold water tank, and whether it's covered.
Simple habits that keep the risk low
- Run the taps and showers for a few minutes before guests arrive if the home has been empty.
- Clean and descale shower heads regularly.
- Keep hot water stored hot enough, as your assessment advises.
- Write these steps into the cleaners' checklist, so they happen at every changeover.
Some owners write the assessment themselves using official guidance. Others ask a specialist. Either is fine, as long as it's written down, honest about the home and kept up to date. If the home has a private water supply, which is rare in the city but possible in rural East Lothian, there are extra rules to follow.
For the homes we manage, the flushing routine is built into the changeover checklist. Our owners page explains how cleaning and checks work between every stay, and the short-let starter pack has the full checklist in one place.
The home itself: the repairing standard, heating, furniture and the EPC
The licence isn't only about certificates. You must take all reasonable steps to make sure the home is safe for guests. Where the repairing standard applies, the baseline for rented homes in Scotland, the home must meet it. In plain words, aim for a home that's wind and watertight, in reasonable repair, with working heating, hot water, light and ventilation.
Where older Edinburgh homes need attention
- Windows and damp. Sash windows that stick or let in the weather, and condensation in bathrooms and bedrooms.
- Heating. Every room guests use should heat properly. A single storage heater in a draughty top-floor flat won't do in January.
- Common repairs. Roofs, gutters and the stair are shared. If there's a known problem, talk to the factor or your neighbours early.
Furniture and furnishings
Sofas, mattresses and upholstered chairs must meet the fire safety rules for furniture. Look for the permanent labels. Older or second-hand pieces without labels are best replaced before you apply. Beds should be sturdy, and there should be enough of everything for the number of guests on the licence.
The EPC
If you're letting a whole house or flat, you need an Energy Performance Certificate issued within the last ten years. The rating must appear in every advert, alongside your licence number. If your EPC is older, book a new assessment before you apply.
Not sure what your home needs? A free listing review looks at an existing listing, and your free plan prices anything missing. The house manual kit helps with the guest information.
Insurance, ownership and consent paperwork that trips people up
These items don't involve contractors, which is why they're easy to leave until last. They can stop an application just as surely as a missing gas certificate.
Insurance
- Buildings insurance that covers short lets, in place for the whole licence period.
- Public liability insurance for every let. We recommend cover of at least £5 million.
- Contents cover that allows short lets, if your belongings stay in the home.
A standard home policy usually excludes paying guests. Tell your insurer exactly what you're doing and get the answer in writing. In a tenement, the buildings cover is often a common policy arranged by the factor, so check it too.
Ownership and consent
- Proof of ownership. Usually the title to the property.
- Co-owners. Everyone on the title should agree, in writing.
- Your lender. Many mortgages need consent to let. Ask before you apply.
- Title deeds and factor rules. Some deeds restrict how a flat can be used. Read them, or ask your solicitor to.
If you've inherited the home, the ownership step can take longer. Our guide Inherited a flat in Edinburgh? explains the order to do things in. If you're letting your main home while you work overseas, read letting while you're away first, as the main-home question affects which licence you need. Our licensing hub sets out the routes.
Floor plans and guest numbers, right first time
The floor plan and the maximum number of guests go together, and both are hard to change later.
What the floor plan needs to show
- Every room, labelled, with its dimensions.
- The exits and the escape route.
- Where each smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarm is.
- The fire blanket and any other fire safety equipment.
- Any steps or stairs inside the home, and the number of bedrooms.
Edinburgh's guidance says a hand-drawn plan is fine, as long as it's reasonably to scale, shows room dimensions and marks the fire escape routes. It doesn't need to be an architect's drawing. It does need to be accurate. A plan that shows a bedroom where the home has a box room is the kind of thing that leads to questions.
Choosing your guest number
The licence sets the maximum number of guests, and you must never go over it. For home letting, the council fee is charged per guest, so it's tempting to keep the number low. Think ahead, though. Edinburgh's guidance says that increasing occupancy needs a new licence application, not a simple change. If a sofa bed might be used for a family of four in August, include it now.
Make sure the number on the licence matches every listing, and that the beds, towels, chairs and crockery match the number too. For a family flat near the Old Town, that extra sleeping space can make a real difference. Your earnings estimate shows how guest numbers affect what the home could earn.
What guests must be able to find in the home
The licence conditions also cover information. Guests should be able to find the key safety details without messaging you at midnight.
Information to keep in the home
- A copy of the licence and its conditions.
- Fire safety information, including how to get out and what to do if an alarm sounds.
- Gas and electrical safety information, and copies of the gas certificate, EICR and PAT report.
- How the carbon monoxide alarm works and what to do if it sounds.
- Emergency contact details, including the emergency services and a number for you or your manager.
- Instructions for any portable gas heater, if there is one.
In Edinburgh, emergency procedures should be displayed clearly, and guests should know the rules for the shared stair and close the shared doors quietly and securely behind them.
Making it easy to read
A tidy folder by the front door works. So does a short printed sheet on the back of the door, with the full house manual online. Keep it calm and clear. Guests read it on arrival, tired, often in the rain. Our Guest Message and House Manual Kit has ready-made wording, and our free guides cover the rest of the guest journey.
For the homes we manage, our team answers guests from 9am to midnight, with an emergency line through the night. You can read more about our team, or book a call to talk it through.
Before the certificates, check your lender, insurer and title deeds: see mortgage and insurance for short lets.
Book a 15-minute call with one of the co-founders, or get a free plan for your home: what it could earn, the licence route and every cost.
