Your Airbnb Manager Doesn't Handle This Part, No Matter Which One You Pick

A new comparison of six UK Airbnb management companies just made the rounds, breaking down coverage, commission, and what's actually included in each service. It's a useful read if you're shopping for a manager. But buried in the fine print of that comparison is something every host needs to sit with: not one of these companies is confirmed to handle your regulatory compliance as a standard, guaranteed part of the service.

That's not a knock on GuestReady, Houst, Stayful, HelloGuest, CityRelay, or SmartHost specifically. It's just the reality of how these contracts are written. Compliance sits with you, the property owner, whether or not you've outsourced the day to day.

The 90 night rule is not new, but it's still the thing that trips people up

If your property is in Greater London, you already know, or should know, that entire home short term lets are capped at 90 nights per calendar year without planning permission. This has been the law since 2015, under the Deregulation Act, layered on top of the older Greater London Council Act from 1973. It applies across all 32 boroughs and the City of London, and it applies no matter which platform you list on or which company manages your calendar.

Go over the cap without planning permission and you're looking at enforcement action from your local council, with fines reported as high as £20,000 per offence in some cases. Your management company might block bookings once you hit 90 nights on Airbnb specifically, but the legal duty to track cumulative nights across every platform combined still sits with you.

What the comparison actually shows about compliance coverage

Looking at the published details across the six companies, commission rates range from 12% to 15% plus VAT, and most include cleaning coordination, guest communication, and some kind of owner dashboard. What's harder to find published anywhere is a clear statement that any of them monitor your 90 night count, file your paperwork, or take responsibility if you breach the cap. For most, that's a conversation you have to start yourself before signing.

If you're comparing providers, ask directly whether regulatory compliance is included in the standard service or billed separately. Get the answer in writing.

A registration scheme is coming, and it will sit on top of the 90 night rule, not replace it

Under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, England is moving toward a mandatory registration scheme for short term lets. Once fully live, every short term let in England will need a registration number displayed on its listings, across Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and anywhere else it's advertised. This has not been switched on yet as of today, and no firm start date has been confirmed, but it's worth planning for now rather than scrambling later. It will not replace planning permission requirements. You'll need to be both registered and planning compliant, as two separate obligations.

If you're in London and thinking about exceeding 90 nights

You'll need to apply for planning permission through your local council for a change of use. Applications for England and Wales go through the national Planning Portal at https://www.planningportal.co.uk/, which routes your application to the correct local planning authority once you enter your property address. Expect a processing fee, and expect the council to weigh your application against local housing policy, which in many London boroughs leans toward refusing conversions of full time housing into short term lets.

FAQ

Does my management company handle the 90 night rule for me?
Not automatically. Some platforms will technically block Airbnb bookings once you hit the cap, but that only covers one platform. Nights across all platforms count toward the same limit, and tracking that combined total is your responsibility unless your contract says otherwise in writing.

Do I need planning permission if I only rent out a spare room while living there?
No. The 90 night rule applies to entire home lets where the host isn't present. Home sharing while you live in the property is treated differently.

What happens if I already have a property in a city my management company doesn't cover?
You'd likely need a second provider for that property, which fragments your reporting and can create inconsistent guest standards. Ask any provider you're considering what happens if you expand into a new city.

Is the England wide registration scheme mandatory yet?
Not yet. It's established under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 but hasn't gone fully live. Once it does, it will apply alongside planning permission requirements, not instead of them.

Running a rental is enough work on its own. You don't have to track all of this yourself, let Lodge Compliance take it off your plate, handling permits, tax registration, and renewals so nothing slips through. Get your free compliance report at lodgecompliance.com.

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