In October 2016, I wrote a series of posts on renting out properties via Airbnb.
I looked at things such as
- Whether the ‘hosts’ have the right to rent out their property in this way,
- The different occupation types and
- The legal rules which apply.
As we are now over nine years on from 2016 and are about to bring in new housing legislation with the Renters rights Act 2025, I thought it might be a good idea to check the articles over briefly.
The Renters Rights Act 2025 mainly affects renting out a property to be a permanent home, under (after 1 May 2026) an assured tenancy.
I don’t know how often this is done with Airbnb but I understand that some properties are let in this way.
In which case, the ‘hosts’ need to be aware of the new legislation! Not least because there are very high penalties which Local Authorities can impose for non-compliance.
Increased risks for Airbnb hosts:
1. Increased Local Authority Enforcement
For example even before the Renters Rights Act we had
- More selective licensing
- HMO enforcement
- Council tax investigations into “holiday lets”
- Planning enforcement (especially in London and some cities)
The Renters Rights Act 2025 now imposes a general enforcement duty on Local Authorities (something we did not have before), so the risk for people granting assured tenancies via Airbnb will increase exponentially.
2. Planning limits (especially London)
You also need to watch out for planning restrictions – for example, the 90 night time limit in Greater London has become better known and enforced.
Check what planning limits there are in your area.
3. The blurred line between “short holiday stay” and “home”
Then – when does a ‘short holiday let’ become a home?
Say someone:
- Books via Airbnb
- Moves in with belongings
- Stays 3–6 months
- Pays monthly
- Treats it as their main home
This could be deemed to no longer be a holiday home but an assured tenancy.
And finally
I have done a few amends to the legal obligations post, but if this affects you, you should do some training and familiarise yourself with the new rules.
Failure to do so could prove extremely expensive for you!
Finding tenants via Airbnb and calling yourself a ‘host’ and your tenants ‘guests’ does not exonerate you from the law!
You will find all the Airbnb posts listed here.
If you require training, note that my Landlord Law service offers regular monthly training webinars (with recordings available for past sessions) and that all our site content is being updated to comply with the Renters Rights Act.
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