Airbnb and short-let rules in London
London has a rule no other part of England has: whole homes can only be let short-term for 90 nights a calendar year without planning permission. Here is what London hosts need to know, and how HostSorted helps.
Checked against official sources on 26 Sept 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
What's specific to London
The 90-night rule
In Greater London, letting a home for stays of under 90 consecutive nights counts as a change of use that needs planning permission, unless the total is no more than 90 nights in a calendar year and the person providing the accommodation pays council tax on the property. Go over 90 nights and you need planning permission. Boroughs can also remove this allowance for particular properties or areas.
Count nights across every platform
The 90 nights are per property, not per platform. Nights booked on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and direct all count, and Airbnb's own 90-night cap only sees Airbnb bookings. HostSorted links all your calendars and keeps a running total, with overlaps counted once, and warns you as you get close.
Second homes council tax
Councils in England can charge up to double council tax on furnished homes that are no one's main home. In London this is decided borough by borough: Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham, for example, charge the 100% premium from April 2025. Check your own borough's council tax pages.
Fire safety
London Fire Brigade enforces fire safety law for holiday lets in the capital. The national guide for small paying guest accommodation is the place to start for your fire risk assessment.
What applies across England
The national short-term let register
A national register for short-term lets in England is on the way. It isn't in force yet; the government said in September 2026 it will be fully operational by March 2027. Hosts are expected to register each property and show a registration number on their listings. Fees and the exact details haven't been published.
Business rates or council tax: the 140/70 rule
Your holiday let is assessed for business rates instead of council tax only if it was available to let for at least 140 nights in the last 12 months, was actually let for at least 70 of them, and will be available for 140 nights in the next 12 months. The Valuation Office Agency decides, not the council.
Read the guideGOV.UK: business rates for self-catering properties
Furnished holiday lettings tax rules have gone
The special furnished holiday lettings (FHL) tax regime ended in April 2025. Holiday let income is now taxed like other property income, so mortgage interest relief is restricted to the basic rate and FHL capital gains reliefs no longer apply. Speak to your accountant about what this means for you.
Fire safety applies to every holiday let
Paying guest accommodation falls under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Every host needs a written fire risk assessment, suitable alarms and clear escape routes, and must give guests fire safety information. Fire services can and do prosecute.
Read the guideGOV.UK: making small paying guest accommodation safe from fire
Keep your London holiday let compliant, automatically
HostSorted builds the exact checklist for your property, reads your certificates, counts your booked nights and emails you before anything is due. Free for one property.
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