Finding local businesses in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, and if you have arrived from elsewhere in the UK it is worth knowing that several everyday things work differently here: the way flats are owned and maintained, the way food businesses are rated, and the way the city fills up every August. This guide starts with those differences, because they change how you should read a listing, and then works through three of the categories people search for most in the city.

Things that are different in Scotland

Three points come up repeatedly.

First, much of central Edinburgh is made up of tenement flats: stone buildings of several storeys, divided into flats, with a shared stair and shared parts such as the roof. Repairs to the shared parts are common repairs, and in many buildings a factor, a property management firm, is appointed to organise them and collect each owner's share. Work inside your own flat is your own affair, but anything touching a shared part usually needs to go through the factor or an agreement with the other owners.

Second, food hygiene in Scotland is assessed under the Food Hygiene Information Scheme, which gives a result of Pass or Improvement Required. This is different from the 0-5 rating used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, so do not be surprised when a cafe here has no number to show you.

Third, Scots law differs from English law in areas such as tenancies and property purchase. If a listing or a contract uses terms you do not recognise, ask.

Accommodation and the August squeeze

Every August, Edinburgh hosts its festivals, and accommodation demand rises sharply. Hotels, guest houses and short lets fill months in advance, and prices rise with demand. If you are planning a trip for August, book as early as you can; if your dates are flexible, the rest of the year is far easier.

The hotels and accommodation category covers hotels and other places to stay, and bed and breakfast accommodation has its own category. Because the city centre is compact and walkable, distance from your search point matters less here than in a sprawling city; a place a mile or two out may be quieter, cheaper and still easy to reach. Use the postcode search with the area you want to stay in and read the description for parking, breakfast and access details, which matter more in a hilly city with narrow streets than the star count does.

Electricians and tenement flats

Old buildings and modern electrical demands do not always get on, and rewiring, consumer unit replacement and fault-finding are common jobs in Edinburgh flats. The electricians category covers domestic and commercial work; read the description for the kind of jobs a business takes on, because a firm geared to new-build contracts may not want a one-room rewire.

In Scotland, electrical work in the home is subject to building standards, and there are approved certification schemes for electricians. Look for membership of a recognised scheme on the listing and ask for a certificate on completion. Two tenement-specific points:

• If the fault is in the stair lighting or another shared part, contact your factor rather than an electrician directly, as the cost will be shared among owners.
• Access can be awkward. Tell the electrician which floor you are on and whether there is a lift, and mention any restrictions on parking, which is scarce in much of the city.

If you rent, report faults to your landlord or agent first; they are responsible for the electrical safety of the property.

Hairdressers

The hairdressers category includes salons, independent stylists and studios across the city centre and the suburbs. Distance is a sensible first filter, but for a hairdresser the description and photos matter more: they tell you the style of the salon and the kind of work it does. Many listings state whether they take walk-ins or are appointment only, and opening hours vary a lot between salons that open late on weekdays and those that focus on weekends.

In August, salons near the festival venues are as busy as everything else. If you need an appointment during the festivals, book it before you arrive.

Searching by postcode in a compact city

Edinburgh is compact enough that a postcode district narrows things a great deal, and the search page accepts a full or partial postcode alongside a category, ordering results by distance from that point. The "Use my location" option does the same from wherever you happen to be, which is convenient when you are on foot and want the nearest option.

For a broad view, the Edinburgh location page groups every listed business in the city by category. It is the best place to start when you are not sure whether your job belongs with an electrician, a heating engineer or a general home services firm; the directory FAQ explains how categories are organised if you want more detail.

Next steps

Read listings with Scotland in mind: factors for shared repairs, Pass or Improvement Required for food hygiene, and August as the month to plan around. Search from a postcode or your location, shortlist a few businesses and confirm details by phone. If a listing for your own business is out of date, claiming it lets you correct the hours and description yourself.