Serviced accommodation or a long let? The London 90-night question
A furnished short stay can out-earn a tenancy, especially near big work sites. In London, though, the rules and the running costs often decide it before the nightly rate does.
London’s 90-night limit
Across Greater London, including Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Newham, a whole home can be let in short stays for 90 nights in a calendar year without planning permission. Beyond that you need the council’s consent. Essex councils are not covered by this limit, though local planning policy still applies.
Contractor stays are different
A single booking of 90 nights or more, such as a crew on a long project, is not a short let in the same sense. That is why contractor and corporate stays suit many East London homes better than holiday-style lets.
Check before you furnish
- Mortgage terms: many buy-to-let products forbid short stays
- Lease: many flats require lets of six months or more
- Insurance written for short stays
- A fire risk assessment
Bills a tenant would have paid
- Energy, water and broadband
- Council tax, or business rates where the home qualifies
- Cleaning, laundry and replacing worn items
- Booking platform and management fees
When it is worth it
Homes near stations, hospitals and work sites, with parking and no lease restrictions, owned by landlords happy with income that varies. Want a steady figure instead? A managed tenancy or guaranteed rent fits better.
See serviced accommodation management or ask for a forecast of both at your valuation.
