The Airbnb 90-Day Rule in London: What It Is and What to Do in 2026
Updated: 3 days ago
Last reviewed: October 2026
The Airbnb 90-day rule limits entire homes in Greater London to 90 nights of short-term letting per calendar year, unless you have planning permission. The cap counts every night booked on every platform, from 1 January to 31 December. If you go over it, the council treats the property as having changed use, and it can take enforcement action.
This guide covers what the rule applies to, how it is enforced, what changes in 2026–2027, and the legal ways to earn from a London property beyond 90 nights.
Table of Contents
What is the Airbnb 90-day rule?
The rule comes from the Deregulation Act 2015, which amended the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973. It lets you rent out a home in London for short stays (under 90 consecutive nights per guest) without planning permission, but only if two conditions are met:
The short-term lets add up to no more than 90 nights in a calendar year.
At least one person providing the accommodation pays council tax on the property.
Break either condition and you need planning permission for a “material change of use” from a home to short-term accommodation.
Airbnb applies the 90-night limit automatically to entire-home listings in Greater London. Once a listing reaches 90 booked nights in a year, its calendar closes unless the host confirms they hold the right permission. The rule itself applies to the property, not to the platform: nights on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and direct bookings all count towards the same 90.
What does the 90-night limit apply to?
Type of let | Does the 90-night limit apply? |
Entire flat or house let for short stays in Greater London | Yes |
Private room in your home while you live there | Generally no: the planning rule covers letting the whole home |
Stays of 90+ consecutive nights to one guest | No: this is not a short-term let, but tenancy law and licensing may apply |
Property with planning permission for short-term use | No, within the terms of the permission |
Serviced apartments with the right use class | No |
Homes outside Greater London | No 90-night cap (other local rules may apply) |
Why was the 90-day rule introduced?
London has a severe housing shortage. Boroughs such as Westminster, Camden and Tower Hamlets saw whole flats move from long-term rental to year-round holiday use. The 90-night cap lets residents rent out their home while they travel, without turning housing into full-time hotel stock.
How is the 90-day rule enforced?
Enforcement is handled by each London borough’s planning enforcement team. Councils act on neighbour complaints, listing data and platform reports.
Enforcement notice: the council can order the short-term use to stop. Notices can go to freeholders, leaseholders, mortgage lenders and insurers.
Unlimited fines: ignoring an enforcement notice is a criminal offence. Fines for letting without planning permission are now unlimited, up from the former £20,000 maximum (Tower Hamlets Council).
Other consequences: councils may share information with HMRC, and listings can be removed from platforms.
You also need permission from your mortgage lender, insurer and freeholder (or landlord, if you rent). Subletting a council or housing association home can lead to eviction and prosecution for tenancy fraud.
Can you get permission to let for more than 90 nights?
Yes, but approvals are rare. You apply to your borough for a material change of use. In England, the fee for this type of planning application is £610 from 1 April 2026. Councils such as Tower Hamlets say such applications are highly unlikely to fit their housing policy.
If you still want to apply:
Check your borough’s local plan and short-let policy.
Check your lease, mortgage and insurance allow short lets.
Prepare evidence: building type, impact on neighbours, waste and noise management, and housing supply.
Submit the application and fee through the Planning Portal.
Keep letting within 90 nights while you wait for a decision.
What changes in 2026–2027
National short-term let register (England): the government says the register will be fully operational by March 2027 and is expected to be mandatory. Details on who must register and how are still to be confirmed (Propertymark). It is likely to make it easier for councils to see who is letting and for how many nights.
The 90-night cap stays: the register does not change London’s 90-night limit.
No new “C5” use class in England yet: a short-let planning use class was consulted on in 2023, but no legislation has been laid. Wales already has one.
Renters’ Rights Act: from 1 May 2026, new tenancies to individuals who live in the property as their main home are monthly periodic assured tenancies; fixed terms and Section 21 are gone (Shelter). This matters if you plan to switch to medium or long-term lets (below).
Tax: the furnished holiday lettings regime ended in April 2025, so short-let income is now taxed like other rental income. See our guide to Airbnb and council tax.
How to stay compliant: a checklist for London hosts
Count nights across all platforms and direct bookings in one calendar.
Plan for about 85 nights so a late extension does not take you over 90.
Make sure someone providing the let pays council tax on the property.
Get written consent from your lender, insurer and freeholder.
Meet fire safety, gas and electrical safety rules for paying guests.
Keep booking records in case the council asks for them.
Watch for the national register opening in 2027.
How to earn more than 90 nights legally
You cannot get around the 90-day rule by switching platforms, splitting listings or using different names. Councils count nights per property. These are the legal alternatives:
Option | How it works | Watch out for |
Short lets up to 90 nights + medium-term lets | Stays of 90+ nights for contractors, students or relocating staff fill the rest of the year | If the guest lives there as their main home, it becomes an assured periodic tenancy under the Renters’ Rights Act |
Company lets | You let to a company that houses its staff | A let to a company is not an assured tenancy, so the new tenancy rules do not apply |
Long-term let | A standard tenancy all year | Lower nightly yield; Renters’ Rights Act rules apply |
Guaranteed rent | A company like UpperKey rents your property and pays you a fixed monthly rent | Check the contract length, who pays for repairs and how the property will be used |
Planning permission | Approval for year-round short lets | Rarely granted in London |
Read more on short, medium and long-term lettings.
Hitting the 90-night cap? With UpperKey guaranteed rent, we become your tenant and pay you a fixed monthly rent, with no gaps when bookings stop. See London guaranteed rent by neighbourhood · Get a free rent estimate
Does the 90-day rule apply outside London?
No. The 90-night cap is specific to Greater London. Elsewhere, other rules apply:
Rest of England: no night cap yet. The national register is due by March 2027, and some councils may require planning permission for intensive short-let use.
Scotland: short-term lets need a licence, and Edinburgh has a short-term let control area. See Edinburgh short-term rental rules.
Wales: a visitor accommodation register starts in October 2026.
FAQs
Does the 90-day limit apply to private rooms?
Generally no. The rule covers letting an entire home for short stays. If you rent a room while you live in the property, the 90-night planning limit does not usually apply, but your lease and mortgage terms still do.
Can I list on other platforms to avoid the rule?
No. The limit is per property. Nights on every platform and direct bookings count towards the same 90.
Does the 90 days reset every year?
Yes. It counts from 1 January to 31 December.
What happens if I go over 90 nights?
The council can treat it as an unauthorised change of use and issue an enforcement notice. Ignoring the notice is a criminal offence with an unlimited fine.
Is the 90-day rule only in London?
Yes. Only Greater London has a 90-night cap on short lets.
Can UpperKey help me earn more than 90 nights a year?
Yes. We can combine short lets with medium-term stays, or pay you a fixed monthly rent with guaranteed rent. Get a free rent estimate for your property.
This guide is for general information, not legal advice. Check your borough’s planning team or the Greater London Authority before letting.
