Short-term gains

Regarding your recent coverage of short-term rentals in Edinburgh. Far from breaking up communities or destroying local areas, short-term rental has had, and continues to have, a positive impact.

Many local businesses, including cafes, bars, restaurants and shops, depend on the income our guests bring to them to survive. Before casting aspersions, it might be a good idea to ask the owner of your local coffee shop if their business would survive without the holiday let trade. The pervasive stereotype currently being pushed about shortterm renters is that we are evil, blood-sucking, Victorian-era landlords who wring every penny we can out of our hapless victims.

This could not be further from the truth. Most of us don’t own an estate of properties, we rent to support our families, to supplement our incomes and to pursue second careers. In my own case it’s to supplement a pension and savings reduced by the 2008 crash.

The hostility displayed by some politicians and in the media towards short-term rentals is unfair and unjustified. It is the worst of dog-whistle politics and does a disservice to our vital industry, which is fundamental to the health of Scottish tourism.

We need a discussion centred on Edinburgh as an outward-facing, welcoming city which also looks after those who live here permanently. The vilification of shortterm renters is not the way to achieve this.

NAME/ADDRESS SUPPLIED Edinburgh