Garry McRae and ZiZibreeZi: Guiding Investors Through The U.K’s Short-Term Letting Landscape
ZiZibreeZi is a property management company specializing in short-term rentals, offering expert guidance through complex licensing and planning regulations. With its strategic support, ZiZibreeZi helps ensure high-quality guest experiences and optimised returns for property investors
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Investing in a property to rent out short-term can appear easy: buy a home, list it, welcome guests, and watch the income grow. But Garry McRae, founder of ZiZibreeZi, a property management company, knows that reality is far from being simple.
Over the years, he has learnt that managing properties in Scotland brings a unique set of complications with it. “To get started, applying for a license is usually straightforward,” he explains. “But one of the challenges in getting a licence, in some council areas, is the requirement of planning permission.”
Despite a property meeting its safety and operational standards, securing planning permission to operate as a short-term rental is not guaranteed. McRae notes that applicants often pay fees and submit detailed forms, only to discover that councils may decline for reasons that are unclear or not explicitly defined. “People apply thinking it’s easy, but they discover councils may deny planning permission for reasons that aren’t black and white; it’s completely at the discretion of the local authority,” he says. For owners of secondary homes, defined as properties not used as a primary residence, this often creates a frustrating and costly barrier.
In Edinburgh, owners who live in the property are shielded from this requirement for planning, but those who buy property to use as an investment could have a different experience, as this is where obtaining planning permission can become a challenge, cause significant delays or even halt short-term letting altogether.
People looking to short-term let an investment property might feel incapacitated due to these challenges, or may be subject to severe consequences if they operate without planning permission. Without a clear understanding of local regulations, property owners can risk acquiring assets with higher start-up costs, delays, and lower yield than anticipated. McRae has guided multiple clients through such scenarios, sometimes advising them to step back from a purchase entirely. “ The risks that catch people out are usually the ones they don’t see,” he says.
In such circumstances, McRae insists that preparation and expert guidance are vital for seamless operations. He believes that the solution lies in proactive research and professional support, encouraging prospective investors to engage local planning experts, often architects familiar with municipal frameworks, who can navigate planning applications and identify potential obstacles before investment.
In addition, McRae also highlights the new local charges beginning in 2026, such as visitor levies (tourist tax) in Edinburgh, which will be set at 5% of accommodation charges, and must be factored into profit calculations for hotels, hostels, and other types of accommodation. “ For some of our clients, these taxes can account for nearly 10% of the profit,” McRae shares. “This is one of the many things to consider when assessing the viability of an investment,” McRae says. By working with experienced professionals, such as ZiZibreeZi, owners can have better visibility on the potential returns.
Sourced by: ZiZibreeZi
Other shifts in the industry that McRae has observed are the financial considerations of mortgage companies, where lenders historically relied on long-term rental valuations, but now may increasingly accept short-term rental projections. This shift, McRae notes, could allow investors to secure mortgages or refinance properties using a clear picture of the higher income potential. “We’ve helped a few clients through this process already by giving them a rental valuation report, which helped them secure mortgage deals, ” McRae says.
“Beyond paperwork and compliance, the quality of property management directly affects profitability and longevity,” McRae says. ZiZibreeZi focuses on high standards, ensuring that each property offers a superior guest experience. It provides dedicated account managers who oversee multiple properties in a single area, coordinating all of the day-to-day operations, from guest communication to cleaning, and reporting on any issues before they impact income or guest satisfaction.
“The account managers ensure each property is cared for, and our clients can benefit from consistent, optimised returns,” McRae shares.