London's 90-night short-let rule: a guide for owners

If you own a home in London and are thinking about short stays, the 90-night rule is the first thing to understand. It shapes how often you can host, how you plan the year and whether a mix of short and longer stays makes more sense for your property.

What the rule says

In Greater London, letting a residential home for stays of fewer than 90 consecutive nights is treated as a change of use, which normally needs planning permission. The Deregulation Act 2015 created an exception: you can let your home on short stays without planning permission, as long as the total number of short-stay nights does not exceed 90 in a calendar year.

The exception applies only where the person providing the accommodation is liable for council tax on the property. Councils can also remove the exception for particular homes or areas where they consider it necessary.

How it works in practice

• The 90 nights are counted per calendar year, from 1 January, and reset each January.
• The limit counts nights, not bookings: one 10-night stay uses 10 of your 90.
• Major booking platforms automatically cap entire-home listings in Greater London at 90 nights a year, unless the host provides evidence of permission.
• Nights booked through different platforms all count towards the same total, so it is worth keeping one clear calendar.

What happens beyond 90 nights

To offer short stays for more than 90 nights a year, you would normally need planning permission from your local council. Letting beyond the limit without it can lead to enforcement action. Requirements and attitudes vary by borough, so speak to your council or a planning adviser before relying on any approach.

Other permissions to check

The 90-night rule is only about planning. Many owners also need to check their lease, as some forbid short lets or subletting; their mortgage lender, as buy-to-let and residential mortgages often have conditions; their insurer, as standard home insurance may not cover paying guests; and their building management or freeholder.

Fire safety, gas and electrical safety still apply to homes used for paying guests. Owners should confirm what applies to their own property.

Making the most of a 90-night year

For many London homes, 90 nights is enough to host around the times you are away, such as summer or the festive season, while the home is otherwise lived in. For owners who want steady income all year, a long-term tenancy may suit better, or a considered combination of the two, for example longer stays of 90 nights or more, which fall outside the short-stay limit.

Marino & Co offers both short-stay hosting and long-term lettings management in prime central London, so we can talk through which approach suits your home and your plans.