Rules, tax and earnings
Written for London landlords
The questions we get asked before anyone signs anything: what the rules actually say, what a property realistically earns, and what it costs to run. No filler, and nothing we would not tell you on the phone.
Running the property
What safety certificates does a short let need?
A short let needs a gas safety check, a valid electrical safety certificate, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and proper fire precautions, and the responsibility for each sits with the owner even if a manager arranges them.
Running the property
Setting up a London flat for short lets: the checklist
What a London flat actually needs before it can take its first guest, from safety certificates through to the fit-out details guests notice and complain about.
Running the property
What does a short-let management company actually do?
A look at what short-let management actually involves day to day, from pricing and guest messages to cleaning and maintenance, so an owner can judge whether to do it themselves.
Rules and tax
Who pays when a guest damages something?
When a short-let guest damages a property, the deposit, platform cover and insurance each handle a different part of it, and knowing which one applies before it happens saves weeks of chasing after.
Rules and tax
Do you need a licence to run a short let in London?
London has no single licence for running a short let. What actually applies is a mix of planning rules, HMO licensing in some cases, and local borough schemes, and they are easy to confuse with each other.
Rules and tax
What does short-let management cost in London?
Short-let management in London is usually priced as a percentage of booking revenue, commonly 15% to 18%, but what that fee actually includes varies enough between companies to change the real cost.
Rules and tax
Council tax or business rates on a London short let?
Most London short lets stay on council tax, but a property let often enough can move onto business rates instead. Here is what decides which one applies and what that switch actually changes.
Rules and tax
What insurance does a short let actually need?
Standard landlord or home insurance is usually written for tenancies and does not cover paying guests. Here is why, what platform host protection actually does, and what a short let policy needs to include.
Rules and tax
Can you short-let on a buy-to-let mortgage?
Most buy-to-let mortgages are written for standard tenancies and do not automatically permit short lets. Here is why the product matters, what lenders actually ask for, and what happens if you never asked.
Rules and tax
Can you short-let a leasehold flat in London?
Whether you can short-let a leasehold flat depends on the lease, not the council. Here is what leases typically say, why the freeholder matters more than planning rules, and what to check before you list.
Islamic finance
Is short-let income halal? What Muslim landlords in London actually ask
Rental income from property is widely held to be permissible, but the questions Muslim landlords ask are about financing, what happens inside the property, and zakat. Here is how each one plays out for a London short let.
Rules and tax
The 90-night rule in London, explained for landlords
London properties can be short-let for 90 nights a year without planning permission. Here is where the limit comes from, what counts towards it, and the mistake that puts most landlords over it without noticing.
Rules and tax
Airbnb versus a long tenancy on a London flat: which earns more?
The honest comparison between short-letting and a standard tenancy in London, including voids, management cost, the 90-night cap and seasonality, and where a tenancy actually wins.
Rules and tax
Do you pay tax on Airbnb income in the UK?
Short-let income is taxable like any other rental income. Here is what counts as declarable, how the property allowance works, what you can offset, and when you need to file a return.
Referral programme
Know another landlord? That is worth £275
Introduce a property owner to us and we pay you £275 once their property is live and earning, within 14 days. Anyone can refer, and there is no cap. See how referrals work.
Free estimate
What would your property earn?
Send us the property and one of our managers will come back within 24 hours with a realistic figure. No obligation, and no lock-in if you go ahead.