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<\/a><\/p>\nA holiday let owner has been given the go ahead to carry on renting it out despite claims there are too many short term rentals already on their street.<\/p>\n
The three bedroom house on North Berwick\u2019s Old Abbey Road was, a resident claimed, the fourth to be allowed to operate as a short term holiday let on it.<\/p>\n
They said residential buyers were being \u2018outbid by buy to let investors\u2019 in the area as well as being put off by the prospect of having a holiday home next door.<\/p>\n
And they said they had no idea there were any short term lets on the street when they moved in.<\/p>\n
Objecting to the owner\u2019s application for a licence to operate, they told a meeting of East Lothian\u2019s licensing sub committee: \u201cI purchased my house on the understanding that it was in a\u00a0residential street, in a residential area.<\/p>\n
\u201cResidential buyers are being\u00a0outbid by buy to let investors, while residential buyers are not attracted to properties which have adjacent, (though the wall, or\u00a0floor), short term let properties.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnless the local housing strategy for North Berwick is to\u00a0prioritise short term lets, over residential properties, I believe\u00a0the creation of a row of three adjoining short term let properties\u00a0on Old Abbey Road, increasing to four the number of short term\u00a0let properties to my house, is disproportionate.\u201d<\/p>\n
The husband of applicant Carmel Mullan, who appeared at the committee meeting on her behalf, said the family bought the house on Old Abbey Road in 2008 and used it as a second home.<\/p>\n
He said over the years it had been used both by family and friends as well as being rented out on short and longer term lets.<\/p>\n
And he said in 16 years there had only been two complaints about tenants with both dealt with quickly and effectively by the couple.<\/p>\n
Committee members heard the house did not require planning permission to be used as a short term let and no concerns were raised by police or licensing officers. The licence was unanimously approved.<\/p>\n
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter<\/p>\n
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