Licensing and Planning

🕒 When should I apply to renew my secondary letting licence?

Secondary letting licences expire one year after they are issued. I do not wait until my current licence has expired!

I should apply for the renewal before my current licence expires.
If I apply before the expiry date, I can continue operating while the renewal is being processed.
If I apply after the licence has expired, I must stop operating immediately — and I can only restart once the renewal is approved, which might take several months.
Operating without a valid licence is a criminal offence.
Since the renewal requires documents like safety certificates and possibly a planning application, I need to start preparing well in advance.
If my secondary letting licence expires in September or earlier, I should start now — over 1,100 licences are due for renewal that month, and suppliers will be under pressure.

📄 What will I need to renew my Licence?

📄 Document / Requirement	💬 Comment
Application form	I download it from the Edinburgh Council website.
Floor Plan	I use the original unless the layout has changed.
Annual Gas Safety Certificate	It is valid for 1 year — I need a new one.
EICR (Electrical Installation Report)	Valid for 5 years — I check if mine is still in date.
PAT Certificate	It is valid for 1 year — I need a new one.
Fire Safety Checklist	I need a new one. Download template from here.
Planning Permission or Lawfulness Certificate	I must either already have one of them, or have submitted an application for one. Conttact us if you hve doubts or contact directly Contour Planning.
Application Fee	From £653 (see details here, page 6).

🏛️ How likely am I to obtain Planning permission or a Certificate of Lawfulness?

Situation	Likelihood
10+ years of uninterrupted short-term letting with strong evidence	High
Small property with its own front door that is clearly unsuitable for long-term residential use	Medium
All other cases	Very low

Can I continue trading without Certificate of Lawfulness or Planning permission?

As long as your renewal application is submitted before your licence expires, you’re allowed to continue operating while the process for your application for Certificate of Lawfulness or for Planning Permission runs its course.

The full process — submitting a Certificate of Lawfulness, appealing if rejected, applying for Planning Permission, and appealing again if necessary — can take 12 months or more.

How Host-Ed Ltd Helps You Through the Renewal Process

At Host-Ed Ltd, we make sure you’re never alone in the process. Here’s how we support our clients:

Personal Guidance

We answer your questions quickly — by phone or online — in direct one-to-one conversations. No bots, no waiting, just real answers. And our advice is free!

We Handle Your Licence Renewal

– Free of charge — if you already have all the required documents.

– For a small fee — if we need to help you obtain new safety certificates.

Planning Support That Works

Most renewals now require a Certificate of Lawfulness or Planning Permission. That’s why we collaborate with Contour Planning — quite possibly the most trusted planning advisor in Edinburgh.

They provide a personalized, hands-on service — whether in person, by email, or over the phone — and their rates are very competitive.

Thanks to their expertise and our close coordination, the entire process becomes faster, smoother, and more likely to succeed.

And just so you know: we don’t add a penny to their fees.

Disclaimer

This guide offers a simplified summary of the current regulations. It does not cover every detail, exception, or particular case. Additional requirements may apply depending on your circumstances.

Since this is the first year that the City of Edinburgh Council is processing renewals, certain interpretations of the rules are still being clarified. Yes — we’re all learning as we go.

This guide is designed to help you understand the key steps in the renewal process and to encourage you to seek professional advice where needed (ideally not from a friend who ‘read it on Reddit’).