r/Edinburgh

Anyone else just… done pretending they’re fine being on their own? (She says, absolutely fine, totally not talking to the walls.)

Just looking to sit across an actual human and feel like me again. Not looking for a running club or gym buddies or networking, just human connection.

42, separated, kids shared equally with their dad and I’ve suddenly got all this time to myself. I’ve reorganised my cupboards, gone on many walks, even the laundry isn’t sitting in a sorry pile anymore. The acceptance that your social life was built around family and now you need to relearn to build a new life in the space in between is a new low even for me!

I don’t think I’m the only one. So here I am posting this, which feels a bit mad and very exposed, but also like someone had to.

Anyone fancy a coffee, a glass of wine, a walk in the Meadows - I’m not fussed. Even if one person replies this was worth it.

No pressure. No commitment. Just showing up.

Yes I asked ChatGPT to fix the grammar. No, I’m not a bot or a loony - well maybe just a little but aren’t we all! 🫶🏻

ETA-should have added I have zero family here outside of my kids so that contributes to the social isolation which I would have avoided had I had my folks or a sibling down the street.

Hi,

I bought a flat about 18 months ago with a Skipton 100% first time buyer mortgage. It’s in a 1950s high rise in central Edinburgh, and since I’ve lived here, a number of very expensive building repairs have come to light (neglected roof needing full repair, asbestos removal from basement, replacement of heating systems…) These all predate me moving in, but the flat was “sold as seen” by probate solicitors.

Per my deeds I’m responsible for my flat’s share in these repairs, which I accept and support because we all have a shared responsibility.

Edinburgh council is our factor and is organising these works.

My questions is not “how can I get out of paying” but how can I get support with paying, or what systems exist which can help me?

I’m in my late 30s, a single parent, and a full time teacher. I have no savings, and a 100% mortgage which has built up no equity, and a personal loan (as I had the original 50s bathroom refitted after moving in).

I wrote to the council to ask about payment plans etc and never got a response. AI suggested I speak to Shelter, and Shelter suggested legal advice. I can’t afford legal advice but am also not within the eligibility for legal aid. I also don’t know that it’s a legal issue - the council hasn’t done anything wrong in ordering the works, it’s just that I physically can’t conjure up the £20k-£60k (depending which quotes are chosen) to pay right now. I’ve checked my home insurance and it doesn’t include any of these historic issues that have just come about through wear and tear over decades.

Has anyone been in this position and can share how things went for them?

I’m going to call the bank to see if I can extend my mortgage, but I doubt it as I’m at the top of the borrowing for my single income. I also plan on going to the next council and residents’ meeting in a few weeks so I can try to get a response from a council rep about what to do. I’ve not been to one of these before as I’m autistic and it’s quite an overwhelming prospect, but I’m not sure what else to do.

Thank you so much!

Just been quoted an OUTRAGEOUS amount for a tiny tattoo I want to get so looking for recommendations please and thank you! Looking for Edinburgh based ideally but happy to go through to Glasgow.

EDIT - thank you for the recommendations!! I'll check them all out :)

For fruit lovers, where do you consider the best place in Edinburgh to buy fruits (excluding the regular supermarkets)?

Are there any bakeries in Edinburgh who sell Stottie in Edinburgh. Greggs in Galashiels used to sell them and I'd grab some if I was down there for work, but they stopped selling them. I was just wondering if somebody baked them locally?

Really bad moving out experience with them. Told them a month in advance that we are moving out and all they asked was if both of us were leaving. We responded and never heard back again. A day before moveout date we emailed and ask what the procedures were and was asked to take keys to the office, while on the contract they said they'd reserve a time with us to come to the flat and retrieve keys/metre readings.

When we got to the office to return keys, we said that no one sent us any move out procedures or details, but the associate director Ross Winton literally said "bullshit, we sent it out before", and proceeded to ignore us for the rest of the time. One of his colleagues had to takeover for him. This is such shit attitude and I've seen many bad reviews about him on Google Reviews and I don't understand why he's still on the job. Just overall really bad experience. Emailed them many times about repairs and didn't bother responding or dealing with it. Probably expecting a big fat deduction from our deposit.

I'm trying to find a place in the city that does a great Carrot Cake.

I'm talking moist, no random nuts or raisins in it. Just moist consistent sponge throughout. A thick sheet of butter icing on top... I want the GOOD shit.

Help me out!

NHS Lothian Waiting Times — Monthly Recap (May 2026)

Department                | Urgent    | Routine
---------------------------------------------------------
Clinical Oncology         | 5 weeks   | 5 weeks
Colorectal Surgery        | 10 months | 1 year 10 months
Community Paediatric      | -         | 1 year 3 months
Dermatology               | 7 months  | 1 year 10 months
Ear, Nose, Throat         | 4 months  | 1 year 9 months
Gastroenterology          | 6 months  | 8 months
Gynaecology               | 11 months | 2 years
Maxillofacial Surgery     | 1 month   | 1 year 1 month
Neurosurgery              | 6 months  | 1 year 3 months
Ophthalmology             | 5 months  | 1 year 10 months
Orthopaedics              | 6 months  | 1 year 6 months
Rheumatology              | 4 months  | 1 year
Urology                   | 6 months  | 2 years 2 months

I’ll update this again next month

[Official data from NHS Lothian: https://www.nhslothian.scot/yourrights/health-rights-waiting-times/nhs-lothian-outpatient-waiting-times/]

Where do I throw away properly exhaust frying oil and used batteries? Coming from Austria I find here petty wild regarding the matter…

Any takeaways that accept cash on delivery?

Hello! Might there be any litter picking events happening in the Haymarket neighborhood, or anywhere I can borrow litter pickers and run my own events?

Feels like there's a fair bit of trash around where I live, and as I used to run and join litter picking events a couple years back, I'd be interested in doing a bit of clean-up work. The volunteering group I'd been involved with then had been sponsored for buying litter picking supplies, but those supplies were donated to a community center when the group stopped running.

Hi everyone, looking for a sense check on a letting agency process in Edinburgh. We received a provisional acceptance for a rental property, and the agency says we must pay the full tenancy deposit immediately to take the property off the market. However, affordability checks, referencing and document checks would only happen after payment, and no tenancy agreement has been signed yet. They say the deposit is refundable if the application is not verified or the offer is withdrawn.

My concern is that this seems to operate like a holding deposit in practice, but for the full tenancy deposit amount, which locks the applicant in much more tightly immediately after a provisional offer. If we pay now, they could later say we do not pass affordability unless we provide a guarantor or pay rent in advance. If we cannot agree to those later terms, I worry they may treat it as us choosing not to proceed rather than the offer being withdrawn, and the refund could become subjective and in their favour because the tenancy has not started and the deposit is not protected yet.

I am new to renting in Edinburgh and would like to know: is this common practice here? Any local insight would be hugely appreciated.