SouthSide Property was established by John Davidson in 2009 when he noticed how both tenants and landlords were falling prey to “hidden costs”. Twelve years later, SouthSide now has a team of 40 people as property agents working to lead the sector.

They have only 13 available Edinburgh property listings on their website, but all are well-kept and spacious for their price. We find that the company has a bit of a rigid process for landlord applicants as they maintain a standard for advertised rooms.

These properties are located across Ramsay Place, Gilmerton, and in more central areas such as Bonnington and Saughton. As for rent, prices range from around £425-1,500 depending on the size, location, and amenities of the place.

SouthSide has also gotten fantastic scores on average in Google Reviews and the property industry website AllAgents. But recently, we’ve found that management and services depend highly on the agent, which makes it a hit-or-miss.

Some agents have shown impressive performance by responding within the day and resolving issues within a week, while others take days to reply even for pressing matters. Their rental application process is also much more tedious than others.

That said, SouthSide Property Management remains to be one of our top choices for Edinburgh, as the properties they carry are well looked after. Property managers are also helpful – although we also advise going for agents with good reviews.

Ben Property was once known as the Jenners Property Department that was established in 1919. Now, it’s a boutique, family-owned firm that is well-trusted in Edinburgh as a provider of professional service to tenants and landlords.

Ben Property prides itself on providing clients with innovations and total property solutions. Aside from being regulated by institutions such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, they also hold professional indemnity insurance.

We’re also glad to find that Ben Property is a Citylets Premium Client, which means all of the properties they handle can be found on Edinburgh’s most popular lettings site. They have around 28 properties found mostly in central Edinburgh.

Rent goes from £725 to £6,450 which is quite high, but higher-priced listings can be split between two or more people depending on the number of bedrooms. We also like that most units are in convenient locations across Old Town and New Town.

Another one of their strong points would be the continuity of staff, which allows them to be trained more traditionally. However, we think that they should improve on communicating with tenants and modernising their letting system and website.

These problems have led them to be a bit lower-rated on review sites despite being one of the oldest-established firms around. Nonetheless, you’ll find that Ben Property has options that are attractive to those who want to live in key Edinburgh areas.

Edinburgh Group Apartments is not your usual room rental, as it accommodates mostly vacationers who want to go sightseeing around Edinburgh or groups that want to celebrate events in a large apartment.

Each of their eleven properties has nine rooms available, all with over thirty beds, a shared dining room, a TV room, and multiple seating rooms. Other facilities include a billiards table, darts, a bar, private safes, and even a dance pole for some apartments.

We especially find it to be located in a fantastic area just 0.8 miles from Edinburgh Castle and 0.9 miles from the city centre. Haymarket train station is only a 10-minute walk from the venue, and Edinburgh airport is a quick 20-minute drive away.

Edinburgh Group Apartments don’t have a wide range of locations to choose from, so it’s best suited to those planning on staying in central Edinburgh. The apartments also aren’t in a residential area, so expect a lot of noise.

As for the hosts, we find them to be quite accommodating from check-in to check-out. The rent prices are also reasonable, and properties are of good quality, albeit a little worn down here and there.

Overall, Edinburgh Group Apartments is a great option for those looking for short-term room rentals for big groups. It’s also quite highly-rated across several websites, which is another plus on our book.  

GuestReady is an Airbnb management company that launched in 2016 to help tenants and landlords find and manage suitable homes. Similar to SouthSide Property, GuestReady has a ready-to-assist team with years of experience in hospitality.

They have several properties in Edinburgh consisting of flats, one-bedroom spaces, apartments, to more luxurious units. Most of these are based in central Edinburgh and are popular as short, mid, and long-term vacation-rental services.

That said, GuestReady is more of a hybrid room rental company because it adopts the Airbnb system. They also provide hotel-style housekeeping, linen rental, welcome packs, and other services which we appreciate.

Interiors are well-decorated, and some of their properties have underground parking available, although plenty of attractions are walkable. However, cleanliness and the state of appliances such as ovens and airconditioners need improvement.

Property quality is also not very consistent, as we’ve seen some units being more well-maintained than others. Additionally, GuestReady-managed properties are usually booked for short-term stays, so there aren’t many reviews for longer-term periods.

If you would like to have a longer stay, it’s best to contact their team first before booking. Nonetheless, GuestReady is trusted by landlords and tenants alike as they are quite innovative and professional when it comes to managing room rentals.

Last but not the least is Cloud Property Management. This firm boasts an almost perfect consumer rating score as one of the leaders in the field of Edinburgh property market, with over 23 years of experience and counting.

Cloud Property Management has a number of central, stylish apartments that are available for short-term, flexible contracts, as well as long-term homes. Currently, they have five properties available to rent in Edinburgh, but the number constantly changes.

Their properties are often two to three-bedroom flats priced at £1,600 on average. Most are newly renovated, quite spacious, and are in great areas, which explains the high price point average – of course, rent can also be split between individuals.

We’ve found that some are located in Roseburn, Morningside Road, and Darnell Road, which are all top spots for properties. Additionally, Cloud Properties come with balconies and parking spaces, which was not common for other entries on our list.

In terms of service, Mark, Jonny, and Ryan of Cloud Property Management have all proven themselves capable of delivering exceptional help. The staff is quick to respond and resolve any issue that may arise, whether for tenants or landlords.

Overall, Cloud Property Management is one of the best room rentals in Edinburgh. They might not be the most affordable or have the most options, but you’re definitely paying for their professionalism and high level of attention to detail.