East Lothian

East Lothian Council established its STL licensing scheme. The council area includes North Berwick, one of Scotland's most popular coastal tourism destinations, which accounts for more than half of all licensed STLs in the area.

All existing hosts required to have submitted applications. East Lothian adopted a strict policy: if you apply for an STL licence without the required planning permission or Certificate of Lawful Use (CLUD), the council will refuse to consider your application.

East Lothian's requirement that planning permission or CLUD must be in place before a licence application is considered proved controversial. Operators who applied without planning in place were given only 3 months to lodge a planning application. If planning was refused, the licence fee was not refunded — creating significant financial risk.

East Lothian confirmed it has not designated any Short-Term Let Control Areas, but stated this 'will be reviewed over time'. The concentration of STLs in North Berwick (over 50% of the council area's 515 licensed STLs) has generated local debate about housing availability and community impact.

East Lothian Council launched a public consultation on whether to introduce temporary licences and exemptions, modelled on Edinburgh's approach. The consultation ran in January 2026.

Only 19 people responded to the consultation. 68% (13) supported temporary licences and 73% (14) supported temporary exemptions. Only 3 respondents were STL operators; 9 were East Lothian residents. Councillors to decide on introducing the option, potentially in time for summer 2026.

Edinburgh's experience was cited as the model: the capital issued 155 temporary licences and 284 temporary exemptions last summer. With 3 other Scottish councils already offering temporary licences, East Lothian is considering joining them to support major events including the Scottish Open and Fringe by the Sea.

North Berwick continues to be a focal point for STL debate. With over 260 licensed STLs in a small coastal town, local residents have raised concerns about housing availability, community cohesion, and the character of the town. However, operators argue that STLs support the local tourism economy and provide essential visitor accommodation.