Edinburgh set to charge Airbnb owners extra in bid to tackle rubbish

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Edinburgh Council is contemplating whether or not the owners of Airbnb-style properties could be charged for bin collections.

It comes after some native authorities in England opted to charge short-term lets for waste administration or prepare business pick-ups.

The plans, first reported in The Herald, will probably be thought-about on the council’s atmosphere committee.

It comes after considerations concerning the quantity of rubbish produced by short-term lets in central Edinburgh.

Environment convener Scott Arthur mentioned: “Following feedback from residents, council officers are currently looking at the issue of whether short-term let operators can be charged for their waste collections.

“This will be reported to and considered by committee in due course.”

Any new charge could be separate to enterprise charges or council tax already paid by owners of Airbnb-style properties.

New rules for Airbnb-style properties got here into impact in Edinburgh in October final yr.

Visitors reserving short-term lets in the town had been advised to look out for licence numbers in adverts to make sure the property meets the necessities.

Hosts can face fines of £2,500 in the event that they haven’t complied.

The information comes every week after Michael Gove introduced proposals to require planning permission for short-term lets, corresponding to Airbnb, to tackle a “hollowing out” of communities.

The new regulation would require folks letting out their property as a short-term vacation residence to search permission from the native authority beneath a brand new “use” class.

The guidelines wouldn’t apply to folks renting out their predominant residence for 90 days or much less in a yr.

A compulsory nationwide register could be set up offering councils with data on short-term lets in their space.Mr Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, mentioned: “These changes will ensure people have more control over housing in their cherished communities.

“We know short-term lets can be helpful for the tourist economy, but we are now giving councils the tools to bring them under control so that local people can rent those homes as well.

“These changes strike a balance between giving local people access to more affordable housing, while ensuring the visitor economy continues to flourish.”