Airbnb 90 Day Rule: London Rules Explained

You have a wonderful space that could work well as a short term let in London, and you are exploring its potential. Then you discover the Airbnb 90 day rule and wonder what it means for everything you have planned.

It is an understandable concern, but the restriction does not mean your hosting plans cannot work. At Domistay, our Airbnb management London service helps homeowners understand their options and build a practical booking strategy around their home and availability.

What Is the Airbnb 90 Day Rule?

The Airbnb 90 day rule allows qualifying homes in Greater London to be used as temporary sleeping accommodation for up to 90 nights per calendar year without planning permission for that use. At least one person providing the accommodation must be liable for Council Tax at the home, and the allowance resets on 1 January.

The restriction concerns the use of the home, rather than which booking platform you choose. Nights booked through Airbnb, other platforms and directly with guests count towards the same annual allowance.

There is also a distinction between offering an entire home and hosting in a spare room while you continue living there. Airbnb applies its automatic London cap to entire home listings; genuine spare room hosting can generally continue throughout the year, subject to other applicable requirements.

The Airbnb 90 day rule applies across Greater London. Whether your home is in Lewisham, Greenwich or close to London Bridge, its location within Greater London determines whether this allowance is relevant.

Why Does the Airbnb 90 Day Rule Exist?

The UK government introduced the current exemption in 2015 to allow London residents to share their homes for limited periods without planning permission. The UK government considers the 90 night limit a balance between allowing homeowners to host and protecting residential housing from unrestricted conversion into year round visitor accommodation.

At Domistay, we are actively campaigning alongside other Airbnb management companies and industry leaders for an extension to the Airbnb 90 day rule allowance, potentially to six months. This could help homeowners whose circumstances do not suit a conventional tenancy earn additional income, provide accommodation for visitors and people travelling for work, and support local economies and spending in local businesses. Our proposal has yet to secure wider government support.

How to Get Around the Airbnb 90 Day Rule

If your home does not have the relevant planning permission, the Airbnb 90 day rule can be challenging, but there are still ways to generate income across more of the year. The main options are obtaining permission to host beyond the allowance or using a suitable hybrid model.

Hosting with the relevant permission. Your home can accommodate short term bookings beyond 90 nights where the relevant permission is in place. For more information, read our guide to short term let planning permission.

Airbnb automatically caps entire home listings in Greater London at 90 booked nights per calendar year unless the host confirms the relevant permission. This counter covers Airbnb bookings, and England’s planned national registration scheme is not yet in force. Owners remain responsible for tracking their total nights across all platforms and direct bookings, and sharing previous bookings and any restrictions with their management company. Airbnb’s official London guidance explains its exemption process.

Using a hybrid model. For suitable homes, Domistay can combine short term stays with mid term lets, or MTLs, to support income across more of the year. These longer stays would typically run for three to six months, accommodating relocating households or people on extended work assignments. For this approach, occupation by the same person must last at least 90 consecutive nights to fall outside the relevant definition of temporary sleeping accommodation, with planning and tenancy requirements also checked. Our guide to short term vs long term rental explores the differences between these accommodation models.

If planning permission or a hybrid model does not suit your circumstances, you can still make the most of your available 90 nights under the Airbnb 90 day rule. Where your dates are flexible, we recommend hosting during periods of high demand in your local area, taking account of seasonal travel and local events. At Domistay, we consider these factors alongside presentation and pricing to help you achieve stronger returns from your allowance. Our guide to how much you can earn on Airbnb in London explains what influences your earning potential.

How Are London Airbnb Regulations Enforced?

Local councils are responsible for enforcing planning rules, with platforms currently playing a role through measures such as Airbnb’s automatic 90 night cap. Councils can investigate suspected breaches of the Airbnb 90 day rule, with complaints about noise, parties, rubbish or disruption in communal areas also bringing homes to their attention.

Homes can still face enforcement action even if they have the relevant planning permission or remain within the permitted night allowance. Breaches of planning conditions, noise complaints and other disruption can still lead to investigations. For homeowners, keeping accurate booking records, having an available management contact and providing clear house rules and arrival instructions can help address concerns and maintain good relationships with the local community.

At Domistay, our guest management service includes guest screening, communication and assistance throughout each stay. We help address concerns promptly and support good relationships between homeowners, guests and the local community.

England’s national registration scheme is now expected to begin in March 2027. It is intended to give councils better information about short term lets in their areas, helping them address local housing and community impacts. The details of how it will support enforcement remain subject to the final arrangements.

Does the Airbnb 90 Day Rule Apply Outside London?

The Airbnb 90 day rule discussed here applies specifically to Greater London. Homes in places such as Dartford and Tunbridge Wells in Kent fall outside this geographical restriction, which can provide opportunities for hosting across more of the year.

However, being outside London does not automatically mean every home can operate as unrestricted short term accommodation. Elsewhere in England, planning permission may still be required where the use amounts to a material change of use, depending on the circumstances and its impact on the surrounding area.

Requirements also differ across the UK. Scotland has a short term let licensing system alongside planning requirements, Wales has its own planning use classes and visitor accommodation registration arrangements, and Northern Ireland requires Tourism NI certification. The relevant local requirements should therefore form part of your hosting plans wherever your home is located.

How Domistay Helps You Plan Your London Hosting

At Domistay, we build a tailored hosting strategy around each homeowner’s goals, requirements and circumstances. We consider your home’s earning potential, when you need it for personal use and the types of stays that suit your availability. From choosing the right booking strategy to managing pricing, presentation and day to day guest support, we bring these elements together into a practical plan that works for you and your home.

Our feasibility assessment considers local demand, potential income and operating costs to help you understand what hosting could look like. Alongside this, we discuss your availability and any permissions or restrictions you provide, so the proposed strategy reflects your circumstances.

Our Airbnb management service brings together listing presentation, pricing, guest communication, cleaning, linen, maintenance coordination and owner reporting. This gives you ongoing support throughout the hosting process, with visibility over your home’s performance. If you are weighing up professional support, our guide to whether Airbnb management is worth it explains what to consider.

To explore your home’s potential, start with our revenue estimator. You can also contact Domistay to discuss your goals and the hosting approach that could suit you.