London owner guide · reviewed 31 August 2026
London 90 Day Rule for Airbnb and Short Lets
The familiar 90 day rule is a planning exemption with specific conditions. It is not a general licence to run any London property as a holiday let. This guide separates the statutory night total from the other checks an owner still needs.
The rule in plain English
Section 44 of the Deregulation Act 2015 created an exception to the usual London planning restriction. Residential premises can be used as temporary sleeping accommodation without that use being treated as a material change of use when both statutory conditions are met.
The summary above follows current London City Hall guidance, GOV.UK planning guidance and section 44 of the Deregulation Act 2015. It is general information, not legal advice for one property.
Counting the limit
The law counts nights of use, not listings or bookings
Temporary sleeping accommodation means sleeping accommodation occupied by the same person for less than 90 consecutive nights in return for payment, value or employment. The annual calculation adds the nights of each use within the same calendar year.
That means ten bookings are not automatically ten nights. One confirmed stay can use several nights. A reliable operating record needs the arrival date, departure date and total nights used for every confirmed short stay. A closed but unused calendar night should not be presented as a confirmed stay.
Beyond the exemption
More than 90 nights needs the relevant planning position
Where the total exceeds 90 nights in a calendar year, the statutory exemption no longer applies. London City Hall says planning permission is needed from the local council for short term use beyond that limit. An application is assessed by the relevant borough and permission is not automatic.
The owner should establish the position for the exact address before opening dates beyond the exemption. Existing planning conditions can also matter. UpgradedPM can keep the operating calendar and property record aligned with the position the owner has confirmed, but the council or a suitable professional should determine any planning question.
Other owner checks
Ninety nights does not override the lease, mortgage or insurance
The planning exemption is only one part of a lawful operating plan. A lease or tenancy may restrict short letting. A freeholder or building manager may control guest access. A mortgage provider and insurer may require a particular permission or policy. Fire safety, gas, electrical and other property duties remain relevant.
City Hall advises owners to check permission from the landlord or freeholder, mortgage provider and insurer before letting. The practical sequence is to confirm those documents first, then agree the channels, availability and service plan for the property.
Managed operation
How UpgradedPM manages the London night total
The onboarding record starts with the address, ownership and confirmed planning position. The operating calendar then records confirmed short stay nights across the channels in use. Owner blocks remain separate from confirmed stays, and any proposed availability beyond the recorded limit is reviewed against the property file.
This record supports an informed decision. It does not create planning permission or replace advice from the borough or a solicitor. Owners can inspect our London Short Let Index for market context, then review the actual property through our London Airbnb, short let and holiday let management service.
Owner questions
London Airbnb rules and the 90 day limit
What is the London 90 day rule?
The planning exemption allows residential premises in Greater London to be used as temporary sleeping accommodation for no more than 90 nights in one calendar year when the Council Tax condition is also met. Use beyond that position requires the relevant planning permission.
Does the limit mean 90 bookings?
No. The legislation counts nights when the premises are used as temporary sleeping accommodation. One stay can use several nights, so owners need a night total rather than a booking total.
When does the London 90 day total reset?
The statutory calculation uses the calendar year from 1 January to 31 December. It is not based on a rolling twelve month period or the date when a listing first went live.
What happens if a London short let exceeds 90 nights?
The planning exemption no longer covers the use. The owner needs the planning position required by the relevant London borough, and the local planning authority can consider enforcement where the conditions are not met.
Does staying within 90 nights settle every other requirement?
No. The lease or tenancy, mortgage, insurance, building rules, safety duties and any other restrictions still need to be checked for the individual property.
Primary sources
Check the current official position
This page was reviewed against the three sources below on 31 August 2026. Rules and local decisions can change, so the live official pages remain authoritative.
Property specific next step
Build the plan around the actual London address
Start with the property, intended availability and confirmed permissions. We can then assess the management route and operating record.