Airbnb 90-Day Rule in London Explained

By Mirko Zara | 15 December, 2025

Airbnb 90-Day Rule in London Explained

In December 2016, Airbnb introduced a 90-day letting limit for properties in Greater London:

If your property is a residential home in London, you can only let it on Airbnb for up to 90 nights per calendar year unless you have specific planning permission.

In this post, our Airbnb managers break down the impact on the short-term rental market, how it will affect your Airbnb operations, and the only ways to get around it.

Airbnb management mayfair

Explaining the Airbnb 90-day rule

The Airbnb 90-Day Rule is a regulation introduced to protect the long-term housing supply and balance tourism with local communities. It applies to short lets in London without planning permission, limiting the duration for which specific properties can be rented on platforms like Airbnb.

The rule is specifically applied in the Greater London area

The 90-day cap applies to all residential properties across Greater London, including: Westminster, Camden, Kensington & Chelsea, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Southwark, Islington, Wandsworth, Lambeth, etc. There are no London boroughs or postcodes that are exempt by default.

How the 90-day Rule works

  • It applies to entire home rentals in Greater London
  • The limit is 90 nights per calendar year
  • It does not apply to private rooms where the host is present or to properties with explicit short-let planning permission.

What happens when you reach the limit?

Once your listing reaches 90 booked nights, Airbnb will automatically block any further bookings for the rest of the year, unless an exemption is registered. Other platforms may not automatically enforce the 90-day limit; it’s your responsibility to ensure you comply with the law.

Attempting to bypass the cap can result in suspension of your listing, penalties of up to £20,000, and possible council enforcement.

Knightsbridge Airbnb

How hosts legally operate beyond 90 nights in London

  • Apply for planning permission to operate as a short-let
  • Let part of the property only (one private room)
  • Switch to mid-term lets

If you want to operate within the cap, many professional hosts can work with a professional management company like Ovitzia to optimise their pricing (e.g., 5% for revenue management).

We’ll help our partners focus on peak periods within the 90-day allowance, where we can charge highly nightly rates to boost your additional income.

online management

How to work around the Airbnb 90 Day Rule?

You cannot bypass the 90-Day Rule, but there are several legitimate strategies to maximise your property’s earning potential for the remainder of the year.

For example, switching to mid-term rentals once you’ve hit your limit. Simply mark your listing for stays of 90+ days, and the platform will not remove it – you’ll stay compliant, and your property will be active year-round.

Other ways

  • Apply for Airbnb planning permission from your local council.
  • Partner with an Airbnb management company to help you fill rental voids.
  • Rotate between multiple properties.
  • Focus on platforms that target medium-term or corporate rentals.
  • Become a live-in host and rent a room.

Exemptions

  • Corporate/business lets may fall under different regulations.
  • Special use cases approved by local councils.

When in doubt, consult your local council’s guidelines.