UK STR rules tightened materially in 2024-2025. London's 90-night cap, Scotland's licensing scheme, and England's incoming mandatory registration mean what you could do in 2022 might not be legal in 2026. Verify before signing or buying.
General information only — not legal advice. Verify with the relevant council before any property purchase or letting.
London — 90-night cap (entire-property)
- Section 44 Deregulation Act 2015 — entire-property short lets > 90 nights/year require planning permission
- Airbnb auto-enforces the cap (listing locked at 90 nights)
- Workaround: 31+ night stays don't count; bookings of 31+ nights exempt
- Westminster, Camden, Tower Hamlets actively enforce; other boroughs less so
Scotland — STR licensing (since Oct 2023)
- All STRs (secondary letting + home-sharing) require council license
- License fee £250-1,000 depending on capacity + council
- Edinburgh + Glasgow created Short-Term Let Control Zones — change-of-use planning permission required (often denied)
- Highlands more permissive
England — mandatory registration scheme (incoming 2026)
- Single national STR register; expected enactment 2026-2027
- Expected fee £100-300/year per property
- Local authorities will get new powers to add additional licensing layers
Wales — 182-night rule
- Property must be available > 252 nights and actually let > 182 nights/year to qualify for self-catering business rates (vs council tax + 100% premium)
- Without business rate qualification, council tax doubles or triples in tourist areas
Northern Ireland
- Tourism NI accreditation required for all paid accommodation
- Less restrictive than other UK nations
Pre-purchase checklist
- Check council website for "short term let" + your address postcode
- For London — confirm if 90-night cap applies (entire property vs room only)
- For Scotland — check if address is in a Control Zone
- Get freeholder + leaseholder consent in writing (most leases ban STR)
- Council tax classification verify (Business rates vs domestic)
- STR-specific insurance quote (Pikl, Schofields)
Related: US STR regulations · EU markets ranked.
Sources: UK Government Levelling Up policy paper, Scotland STR licensing scheme guidance, Section 44 Deregulation Act 2015. As of 2026-06. Verify with the relevant council. Not legal advice.