Covent Garden, within Westminster City Council, and Bloomsbury, within Camden Council, remain among London's most attractive locations for short-term accommodation. Their central locations create strong demand from leisure and business travellers, but hosts must navigate strict planning, leasehold and safety requirements.
For 2026, the key rule remains the 90-night limit for short-term letting in Greater London, while the UK Government is progressing a national registration scheme for short-term lets in England. The registration scheme is expected to begin in 2026 but is not yet in force according to the latest government guidance.
For owners looking to maximise rental income while staying compliant, professional Airbnb management and a full service short-let approach can help manage the regulatory and operational requirements.
The most important rule for hosts in both Covent Garden and Bloomsbury is the 90-night limit.
Westminster confirms that homeowners can let their home for up to 90 nights in a calendar year without planning permission. Letting beyond that threshold requires planning permission.
However, lease terms can impose stricter restrictions. Westminster specifically warns leaseholders that their lease may prohibit short-term letting even though the Deregulation Act permits up to 90 nights in certain circumstances.
Camden applies the same basic 90-day framework. You generally do not need planning permission where the property is used for short-term letting for no more than 90 days in a calendar year, provided the relevant conditions are met.
For more than 90 days, planning permission is required. Camden's current planning policy states that it will generally resist proposals that change permanent residential housing into short-stay accommodation, making year-round short-let planning permission particularly challenging.
A significant development for 2026 is the UK Government's planned national registration scheme for short-term lets in England.
The latest government guidance, published in March 2026 and updated in May 2026, confirms that the mandatory registration scheme is not yet in force but is expected to begin during 2026.
The proposed system is intended to create a national database of short-term lets and provide local authorities with better information about properties operating in their areas.
Until the scheme formally comes into force:
Important: Registration will not remove the existing London 90-night planning rules.
Short-term rental compliance goes beyond planning permission. Hosts must also consider the safety of paying guests.
A suitable fire risk assessment should be carried out, with appropriate smoke, heat and carbon monoxide detection and clear escape routes.
Where gas appliances are installed, appropriate gas safety checks and records are required.
Electrical installations should be maintained and inspected appropriately, including obtaining an Electrical Installation Condition Report where applicable.
Standard home insurance may not cover short-term accommodation. Hosts should confirm that their insurance explicitly permits short-term letting.
Mortgage providers may also restrict short-term or holiday letting. Written confirmation should be obtained where necessary.
This is particularly important in Covent Garden and Bloomsbury, where many properties are apartments.
A lease can prohibit short-term letting even where the property falls within London's 90-night planning exemption. Westminster explicitly advises leaseholders to check their lease terms.
For owners in Covent Garden and Bloomsbury, the 90-night restriction means revenue management is particularly important.
A professional full service short-let strategy can focus on making the most of the permitted short-let nights rather than simply filling every available date.
Rates can be adjusted according to demand, weekends, school holidays, major London events and periods of particularly strong business travel.
With a limited number of short-let nights available, pricing strategy becomes more important. A property may generate more income by prioritising high-demand periods rather than accepting lower-value bookings throughout the year.
Once the 90-night short-let allowance has been reached, owners can consider longer residential or corporate stays where appropriate. Camden confirms that leases of more than 90 days do not fall under its short-term holiday-let planning rules.
Professional Airbnb management can also help with:
This is particularly valuable in densely populated central London neighbourhoods, where neighbour complaints can result in council scrutiny. Westminster actively investigates properties suspected of exceeding the 90-night limit or causing significant disruption.
| Covent Garden | Bloomsbury | |
|---|---|---|
| Local authority | Westminster City Council | Camden Council |
| Short-let limit | 90 nights per calendar year | 90 nights per calendar year |
| Planning permission over 90 nights | Required | Required |
| Lease restrictions | Important | Important |
| Year-round short-let planning | Potentially difficult | Camden policy generally resists conversion to short-stay accommodation |
| National registration | Expected in 2026 | Expected in 2026 |
The fundamental London 90-night rule is the same, but local planning policy and individual lease terms can materially affect whether a property can operate as a short-let.
The London 90-night rule generally allows an entire residential property to be used for short-term accommodation for up to 90 nights in a calendar year without planning permission. Letting for more than 90 nights requires planning permission.
Yes. Both Westminster and Camden fall within Greater London and apply the 90-night planning framework.
Not without the appropriate planning permission. Camden states that applications to convert permanent housing into short-stay accommodation are likely to be refused under its current planning policy.
The key current requirement is planning compliance rather than a specific borough-wide Airbnb licence. However, the UK Government is introducing a mandatory national registration scheme for short-term lets in England, which is expected to begin in 2026 but was not yet in force when the latest government guidance was published.
Yes. Lease restrictions can prohibit short-term letting even where the property is otherwise within the 90-night planning allowance. Westminster specifically highlights this issue for leaseholders.
Longer residential or medium-term arrangements can fall outside the London short-term-let rules. Camden specifically confirms that leases of more than 90 days do not require planning permission under its short-term holiday-let rules. However, the exact arrangement should still be checked against planning, tenancy, lease and tax requirements.
You may be subject to planning enforcement if you operate beyond the permitted limit without planning permission. Westminster states that it investigates suspected breaches of the 90-night rule.
Use a revenue strategy focused on high-demand dates and higher nightly rates, then consider appropriate medium-term or longer-term accommodation for the remainder of the year. Professional Airbnb management can help coordinate pricing, bookings and compliance.
For property owners in Covent Garden and Bloomsbury, Pass the Keys can provide a professionally managed approach designed around London's regulatory environment.
Services can include:
The goal is simple: maximise the income available from your property while keeping your short-let operation aligned with current London requirements.