22 May 2026 · 8 min read
A Landlord's Guide to UK Short-Let Licensing & Regulation
From the 90-day London rule to Scotland's licensing scheme — what every UK short-let landlord needs to know.
Short-let regulation in the UK is a patchwork. Rules vary significantly between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and between individual councils — so a compliant listing in Manchester might be non-compliant a few miles away.
In London, the 90-day rule limits entire-home short-lets to 90 nights per calendar year without planning permission. Some boroughs are actively enforcing this via platform data-sharing agreements.
Scotland now requires all short-term lets to hold a licence issued by the local authority, with fire, gas and electrical safety checks, plus public liability insurance of at least £2 million.
Everywhere in the UK, you should also check: your mortgage terms, your buildings insurance, your leasehold (if applicable), and any HMO or planning conditions that might apply. We handle all of this as part of onboarding — you sign one document and we take it from there.
