What is the London 90-Day Rule?

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How it works

The 90-night limit applies to the cumulative total of all short-term bookings for an entire property within a calendar year, from January 1st to December 31st. The rule does not apply to hosts who are letting out a room while they reside in the property.

Major online travel agencies (OTAs) like Airbnb and Vrbo automatically enforce this regulation by tracking the number of nights a property is booked. Once a listing reaches the 90-night cap, the platform's calendar will be automatically blocked, preventing further short-term bookings for the remainder of the year.

Why it matters

This regulation is critical for any host or property manager operating in London, as non-compliance can lead to significant financial penalties and enforcement action from local authorities. The rule is intended to balance the economic benefits of short-term rentals with the housing needs of local residents, preventing the widespread conversion of residential housing into de facto hotels.

This directly impacts a host's potential annual revenue and requires careful management of their booking calendar to remain compliant.

Examples

• A host lists their entire London flat on Vrbo. After accepting bookings that total 90 nights by August, their calendar is automatically blocked by the platform for any further short-term bookings until the next year begins.
• A property owner in Kensington wants to operate their flat as a full-time short-term rental. To do so legally, they must apply to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for planning permission to change the use of the property, a process which is not guaranteed to be successful.
• An individual rents out a spare bedroom in their Islington apartment while they continue to live there. The 90-day rule does not apply to these bookings, and they can rent the room out for more than 90 nights per year.
• A property manager who oversees multiple flats must track the 90-night count for each individual property separately to ensure the entire portfolio remains compliant with the regulation.