UK short-let rules tracker
Last checked 1 October 2026. "Holiday let" is mainly a tax term (available 140 nights, let 70). The laws below talk about "paying guest accommodation" or "short-term lets", and they cover Airbnb.
| Nation | What | Covers Airbnb? | Status | How hard it bites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | Short-term let licence from your council. Mandatory conditions: smoke, heat and CO detection; fire risk assessment; annual gas check; EICR every 5 years; legionella risk assessment; furniture regulations | Yes: secondary letting, home letting, home sharing | In force since 1 Jan 2025. 32,317 licences or exemptions by end of 2024 | Strong. Operating without a licence is a criminal offence, and the council checks the conditions |
| England | Fire Safety Order 2005, plus the Home Office paying-guest guide (Nov 2024): written FRA, D1 interlinked alarms, test at each changeover, keep a log | Yes, any paid guest accommodation, even a room | In force | Weak in practice. The fire service acts after an incident |
| England | National short-let register (Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023), for lets under 90 consecutive nights | Whole properties yes. Rooms in your own home not yet confirmed | Coming Operational by March 2027 (minister to Parliament, 3 Sep 2026) | Light. "Light-touch, low-cost". Fees, data fields and safety evidence unpublished; most likely a self-declaration |
| Wales | Registration with the Welsh Revenue Authority, then licensing (Royal Assent 27 Apr 2026) | Yes, all visitor accommodation | Registration open since 1 Oct 2026, with a 6-month window. Licensing around 2029 (legal default March 2030) | Registration now, safety-checked licensing later |
| N. Ireland | Tourism NI certification for self-catering | — | Not tracked yet | — |
Still unknown
- England register: the fee, what data you must give, and whether you must upload safety evidence or just tick a box.
- England, rooms in your own home: whether they're in the register at all.
- England planning: the proposed C5 use class, which would let councils require planning permission for short lets, still hasn't been legislated.
- Wales licensing: the exact safety conditions. Expect something close to Scotland's.
What we think it means
- Scotland is the only place where a licence officer actually checks today.
- England, 2027: the register will make every host think about compliance, because you'll be declaring that you comply. The fire law behind that declaration is already in force.
- Wales: register now, and get ready for licensing in about 2029.
Sources
- Home Office: Making your small paying guest accommodation safe from fire (Nov 2024)
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- mygov.scot: short-term let licence legal requirements
- Fife Council: STL mandatory conditions (example of a council's published conditions)
- England register: March 2027, The Negotiator
- LGA response to the registration consultation
- gov.wales: licensing visitor accommodation, Wales registration, autumn 2026
- C5 planning use class status
- HSE: gas safety for landlords
- Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988