The Airbnb 90-Day Rule in London

If you own a property in Greater London, there are planning rules that restrict short-term letting of residential property beyond a certain threshold. The good news is that this isn’t the hosting disaster it can sound like. Thousands of hosts operate profitably, within the rules every year.

Pass the Keys has been providing short-let management services since 2015, starting in London, long before Airbnb began enforcing its London-wide 90-night cap from 2017.

Over the years, we’ve adapted alongside regulation and significantly grown our London portfolio. So if you’re reading about the 90-day rule and thinking it’s doom and gloom, it’s not! The key is knowing how it works, planning around it, and choosing the right strategy if you want to host beyond 90 nights.

Here’s everything you need to know.

The Airbnb 90 day rule is best described as a Greater London short-term letting limit tied to planning rules around “temporary sleeping accommodation”.

If your property is in Greater London, using a residential home as temporary sleeping accommodation is generally allowed without planning permission only if two conditions are met:

This is laid out clearly in theCity of London’s short-term letting guidance and reinforced by theGreater London Authority guidance.

If you go over 90 nights in a calendar year, or you don’t meet the Council Tax condition, you’ll typically need planning permission from the relevant borough/council, as explained in theGLA guidance.

Separate from planning law, Airbnb states that starting from early 2017 its systems automatically limit entire home listings in Greater London to 90 nights per calendar year, and it explains how this works inAirbnb’s London short-term rental laws article.

At a high level, the rule exists to strike a balance: it’s designed to let Londoners earn extra money by letting their home when it isn’t being used, while protecting the housing supply.

There are two layers here: what happens on Airbnb, and what can happen legally.

What happens on Airbnb?

Airbnb states that once you reach 90 nights of bookings for the current calendar year, its systems automatically limit entire home listings in Greater London from taking further bookings for the rest of that calendar year, unless you certify you have the relevant permissions. This is described inAirbnb’s London short-term rental laws article.

What if you’re listed on multiple platforms?

Airbnb’s cap only applies to Airbnb bookings. If you accept bookings on other platforms or direct, you can hit (or exceed) 90 total nights without Airbnb being able to “save you”. This is one of the easiest ways well-meaning hosts accidentally drift into risk.

Legal risk if you exceed 90 nights without permission

London’s guidance states that letting in breach of the law risks local councils taking planning enforcement action, as noted in theGLA guidance.

Some borough guidance describes consequences more directly:

If you’re hosting in Greater London, the best approach is to treat 90 nights as a finite annual resource and plan around it intentionally.

Track nights the right way

The cap is counted across the calendar year (1st January to 31st December), not 12 months from your first booking. You’ll see the calendar-year definition stated clearly in Westminster’sshort-term lets law page and reflected in theGLA guidance.

If you list on multiple platforms, keep one source of truth. Airbnb’s cap is helpful, but it only applies to Airbnb bookings.

Make a plan

A simple way to make the cap feel manageable is to plan the year rather than letting bookings “happen to you”:

People often ask how to “get around” the 90-day rule, but the accurate framing is how to host beyond 90 nights legally.

Route 1: Apply for planning permission

The principle is clear: above 90 short-let nights in a calendar year, you’ll typically need planning permission, as set out in theGLA guidance and echoed by boroughs like Westminster in itsshort-term lets law page.

Route 2: Consider mid-term lets (reservations of 90 days or more)

Airbnb states that in London, reservations of 90 days or more are not considered short-term stays under the relevant framework and will not count towards your short-term limit on Airbnb. This is stated inAirbnb’s night limits FAQ for London.

This does not override lease restrictions, building rules, mortgage conditions, or insurance requirements, but it can be a legitimate strategy for some households.

Amy Boyton, Sales & Marketing Director

The well-known 90 nights per calendar year framework is a Greater London specific approach described in theGLA guidance. Outside London, there usually isn’t a single UK-wide 90-day cap. However, hosts still need to check local rules and consider:

Local planning

Some councils may treat intensive short-term letting as a planning issue depending on how the property is being used and the impact on neighbours or housing supply. There isn’t one universal “outside London” rule, which is why checking your local authority guidance matters.

Leasehold or freeholder rules

Even if local planning isn’t a barrier, leases and building rules can restrict short-term letting, especially in flats.

Mortgage and insurance

Mortgage lender terms and insurance cover are two of the most common practical blockers for hosts. They’re not part of the “90-day rule” itself, but they often decide whether you can host at all.

If you’re hosting in Greater London, the key is to treat compliance as part of your hosting strategy rather than an afterthought. Know whether the 90-night cap applies to your setup, track nights across the calendar year, and plan your 90 nights around peak demand.

If you want to host beyond 90 nights, assume you’ll need either planning permission or a different letting model, such as mid-term stays.

If you’re unsure whether your setup is compliant or you want to host more confidently, Pass the Keys can help you run a stress-free short-let while staying on the right side of local rules.