Running a short-term rental (STR) in the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley means operating within London's planning framework, including the well-known 90-night annual limit for short-term letting without planning permission. It's one of the first things good Airbnb management in London will help you plan around.
In 2026, hosts also need to keep up with important national changes in England, including the government's proposed mandatory registration scheme for short-term lets and proposed planning reforms.
For property owners, understanding the rules is essential for staying compliant while maximising rental income through professional Airbnb management and a strategic full-service short-let approach.
As part of Greater London, properties in Greenwich and Bexley are subject to London's specific short-term letting rules.
Under the Deregulation Act 2015, residential premises in Greater London can generally be used as temporary sleeping accommodation for up to 90 nights in a calendar year without planning permission, provided the statutory conditions are met.
The limit applies to the whole property and is calculated over the calendar year from 1 January to 31 December.
If you want to use a property for short-term letting beyond the 90-night limit, planning permission may be required.
Airbnb has historically applied a 90-night restriction to entire-home listings in London. Hosts who have the necessary planning permission to exceed the limit may need to provide evidence to the platform.
Hosts should not rely solely on platform restrictions, however. The legal responsibility for complying with planning legislation ultimately rests with the property owner.
Operating beyond the permitted 90 nights without the necessary planning permission can result in planning enforcement action.
The maximum fine for breaching an enforcement notice can be substantial, with unlimited fines potentially applying depending on the circumstances. The previously quoted £20,000 maximum should therefore not be treated as a universal cap.
The regulatory landscape in England is continuing to develop.
The UK Government has been progressing plans for a mandatory national registration scheme for short-term lets. The scheme is intended to give councils better information about short-term rental properties and support enforcement and policy-making.
The government has also proposed a new planning Use Class C5 for short-term lets, intended to distinguish dedicated short-term accommodation from standard residential use.
The exact implementation and requirements should be checked against the latest government guidance before relying on the proposed framework.
Owners should monitor:
The most important consideration for many London hosts is whether their proposed short-term letting activity falls within the 90-night allowance.
Where the statutory conditions are satisfied, temporary use of a residential property as short-term accommodation for up to 90 nights in a calendar year can generally take place without a separate planning application.
However, this does not remove other obligations relating to safety, leases, mortgages, insurance or other legislation.
If you intend to use the property for short-term letting beyond the permitted 90 nights, you should establish whether planning permission is required and apply to the relevant local planning authority where appropriate.
The planning position can depend on the property's circumstances and how it is being used.
Flat owners should also check:
These private contractual restrictions are separate from the 90-night planning rule.
The 90-night rule does not remove the need to operate a property safely.
Hosts should ensure that their accommodation meets all applicable legal safety requirements, including:
Smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and other fire precautions must be appropriate for the property and comply with applicable regulations.
A suitable fire risk assessment is also an important part of managing guest accommodation safely.
Where gas appliances are installed, landlords and operators must comply with applicable gas safety legislation, including arranging the required checks through a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Hosts should ensure electrical installations and equipment are appropriately inspected and maintained. Where the property falls within the relevant private rented sector requirements, an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is required at the prescribed intervals.
Furniture and furnishings supplied to guests must comply with applicable UK fire safety requirements.
Owners should obtain confirmation that their insurance policy and mortgage terms permit short-term letting. Standard residential products may contain restrictions.
For many London property owners, the 90-night limit makes strategic scheduling particularly important.
Rather than spreading bookings evenly throughout the year, owners can focus short-term availability around periods when demand and nightly rates are strongest.
For example, depending on the property's location and demand, this could include:
Once the available short-let nights have been used, owners may consider alternative rental strategies such as medium-term or long-term accommodation, where appropriate.
In London, maximising rental income is not simply about filling the calendar. It is about making the most of the nights legally available.
A professional Airbnb management company can use demand-based pricing to target stronger nightly rates during high-demand periods while remaining competitive during quieter dates.
Rather than using the 90-night allowance randomly, professional revenue management can prioritise the dates most likely to deliver stronger returns.
Once the short-term rental allowance has been used, a property owner may consider medium-term or longer-term letting where appropriate.
This can create a dual strategy: short-term letting during the highest-value periods and longer stays during the remainder of the year, subject to the property's planning and legal position.
Professional cleaning, guest communication, maintenance and property inspections help maintain strong reviews and reduce the operational burden on owners.
Accurate booking and night tracking is essential. A professional management company can help owners monitor availability and avoid accidentally accepting bookings that could take the property beyond its permitted short-term use.
If your property exceeds the permitted 90-night short-term letting threshold without the necessary planning permission, you may be in breach of planning controls and could face enforcement action.
The consequences depend on the circumstances and any enforcement action taken by the local authority.
The 90-night planning rule is specifically concerned with the use of residential premises as temporary sleeping accommodation in Greater London. Different considerations can apply to home sharing and letting individual rooms, so hosts should establish their property's specific planning position rather than assuming that a room rental is automatically exempt.
The London-wide 90-night planning framework applies, but property owners should also check the latest planning policies and requirements issued by Greenwich Council or Bexley Council, depending on the property's location.
The UK Government has been developing a national registration scheme for short-term lets in England. Hosts should check the latest government guidance for the current implementation timetable and registration requirements before operating.
Potentially, yes. A mixed short-term and longer-term strategy can be effective, but the planning, tenancy and legal implications should be checked for the specific property.
A professional full-service short-let management partner can help property owners make better use of their permitted short-term letting opportunities while reducing the administrative burden.
Pass the Keys can support owners with:
For owners in Greenwich and Bexley, the key is to combine careful compliance with intelligent revenue management.
If you're considering Airbnb management in Greenwich or Bexley, a professional property assessment can help you understand the potential income from your property and determine the most appropriate short-let strategy for 2026.