London Airbnb Rules 2026: The 90-Night Limit, Rent-to-Rent Myths and What’s Changing

Social media, YouTube and even AI chatbots keep pitching Airbnb rent-to-rent in London as an easy side hustle: rent a flat, list it on Airbnb and Booking.com, pocket the difference. Before you sign anything or pay a deposit, it’s worth knowing how the rules actually work – because several of the most popular tips online are simply wrong.

The quick answer

• In Greater London, a whole home can be used for short lets for a maximum of 90 nights per calendar year without planning permission.
• The limit applies to the property, not to the platform or the host. Nights on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and direct bookings all add up.
• Any stay shorter than 90 consecutive nights counts as a short let – including 1–3 month contractor stays.
• Going over 90 nights without planning permission is a planning breach, and the council can order you to stop.
• England’s national short-let registration scheme is now expected to start in March 2027.

What the 90-night rule actually says

Since 1973, London law has treated using a home as temporary sleeping accommodation – stays of less than 90 consecutive nights – as a change of use that needs planning permission. In 2015 the Deregulation Act created an exception, but only when two conditions are both met:

1. No more than 90 nights in the calendar year. This includes previous short lets of the same property that year – even by a different person.
2. The person providing the accommodation pays council tax for the property. If more than one person provides it, at least one of them must be liable for council tax.

The rule covers all 32 London boroughs plus the City of London. If either condition fails, you need planning permission – and many boroughs are reluctant to grant it, because their policies aim to protect homes for permanent residents.

4 myths that cost people money

Myth 1: “List on Booking.com too and you get around the limit”

False. Airbnb automatically blocks bookings at 90 nights for entire homes in London, but that is just Airbnb policing its own platform. The law counts every short-let night at the property, wherever it was booked. Spreading bookings across sites only means nobody stops you before you break the rule.

Myth 2: “Let to contractors for 1–3 months instead of tourists”

Also false. A stay of 30, 60 or 89 nights is still under 90 consecutive nights, so it still counts as temporary sleeping accommodation. Only lets of 90 consecutive nights or more fall outside the rule – and at that point you are usually in ordinary tenancy territory, with lower rents and tenant protections.

Myth 3: “Airbnb’s cap means I’m compliant”

Responsibility sits with you, not the platform. Councils monitor listings and act on neighbour complaints.

Myth 4: “A rent-to-rent operator can use the 90 nights”

Not automatically. The exception requires the person providing the accommodation to be liable for council tax. Many rent-to-rent deals use company lets or management agreements, which may not meet that condition. If the exception doesn’t apply, you may need planning permission from night one. Get proper advice before you sign.

Rent-to-rent in London: do the maths first

Here is an illustrative example using round numbers. Your figures will differ, but the shape of the problem won’t.

Item	Per year
Rent paid to landlord (£1,400 a month)	£16,800
Short-let income: 90 nights at £150 a night	£13,500
Before platform fees, cleaning, bills, council tax, insurance and furniture	–£3,300

With a 90-night cap, you pay rent for 12 months but can only earn short-let income for three. The headline profits you see online usually assume you let all year – which in London needs planning permission.

Other risks to check

• Landlord consent: most tenancy agreements ban subletting without written consent. Listing a rented flat on Airbnb counts as subletting.
• Mortgage consent: standard residential and many buy-to-let mortgages don’t allow short lets. The landlord needs written lender consent.
• Insurance: standard home and landlord policies usually exclude short-term letting. You need specialist cover.
• Fire safety: the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to short lets in England.
• Empty months: rent is due whether or not you have guests.
• Damage: guest damage is usually your problem, not the landlord’s.
• Start-up costs: deposit, first month’s rent, furniture, linen and photos – before your first booking.

What’s changing in 2026–2027

• National registration scheme: all short-term lets in England will have to be registered. Updated government guidance from October 2026 puts the expected start date at March 2027. A registration number is expected to be required on listings.
• New planning use class (C5): the government has proposed a dedicated planning class for short lets, which could let councils require permission for conversions outside London too.
• Tax: the Furnished Holiday Lettings tax regime was abolished in April 2025. Short-let income is now taxed as ordinary property income.
• Section 21 has ended: since 1 May 2026, landlords in England can no longer use no-fault evictions. That doesn’t make unauthorised subletting safe – it is still a breach of your tenancy.

Legal ways to earn from short lets

• Let your own home while you’re away – up to 90 nights a year, if you own it or have your landlord’s written permission.
• Rent out a spare room while you live there. Hosted stays are treated differently from whole-home lets, and you may qualify for the government’s Rent a Room scheme.
• Sell services, not risk: cleaning, laundry, listing photos or listing copywriting for existing hosts. No rent to pay and no planning rules to worry about.

Checklist before you sign a rent-to-rent deal

• Does the property already have planning permission for short-let use? Ask for the reference and check it on the council’s planning portal.
• Do you have the landlord’s written consent – and their lender’s?
• Who will be liable for council tax?
• Is specialist short-let insurance in place?
• Do your numbers still work with only 90 nights of short-let income?
• Can you cover 3–6 months of rent with no bookings?

FAQ

Does the 90-night rule apply outside London?

No. It is specific to Greater London. Elsewhere in England there is no automatic night limit, but councils can still decide that a property used mainly for short lets needs planning permission.

Do the 90 nights reset if I change platform or host?

No. The count is per property, per calendar year, across every platform and every person who lets it.

Can I get planning permission to let all year?

You can apply, but many London boroughs refuse applications that take homes out of permanent use. Never sign a rent-to-rent deal on the assumption that permission will be granted.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules can change and councils apply them differently, so check with your local council or a qualified adviser before making decisions. Last updated October 2026.

Sources: Deregulation Act 2015, section 44; GOV.UK – Short-term use of residential property in London.