The UK Short-Term Let Registration Scheme became mandatory in 2026. If you rent out a property short-let anywhere in England (Airbnb, Booking.com, direct, or any other channel), you need to be registered. This piece explains what that means, what you actually have to do, and what happens if you do not.
What the scheme is
The UK Short-Term Let Registration Scheme, formally the Short-Term Let Registration Scheme, was introduced in England in early 2026 as part of the government's package of measures to bring the short-let sector under formal oversight. It requires anyone letting out a property on a short-term basis to be registered on a central government database before they take bookings.
It is separate from planning permission, council tax, and any anti-money-laundering registration. It is a new, standalone requirement.
What counts as a short-term let for the scheme
A short-term let is any letting where the guest is paying to stay for fewer than 28 consecutive nights. That is the definition the scheme uses. Longer stays of 28 nights and above are not classified as short-lets and do not need to be registered under this scheme.
If you let your property out via Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, or any other short-let platform, and any of your bookings are under 28 nights, you need to register. If you only ever let for stays of 28 nights or more, you do not.
Who has to register
The person legally responsible for the property's use as a short-term let is the person who registers. In practice this usually means:
- The property owner if they self-manage.
- The property owner if they use a management company but retain the property lease.
- The rent-to-rent operator if they have leased the property from the owner and are the ones running it.
Only one registration per property is required. If you use a management company like Lush Homes, we can register on your behalf as part of the onboarding process. You still remain the legal registrant.
How to register
Registration is done online through the government's Short-Term Let Registration portal. You need:
- The full property address.
- Council tax band and account reference.
- Landlord's name, address and National Insurance number.
- Confirmation of primary use: owner-occupier, let-out, or second home.
- Details of any co-hosts or management company.
- Confirmation of planning permission or 90-day exemption for London properties.
- Confirmation of gas safety, electrical safety, and fire alarm compliance.
The registration is per property. A landlord with three properties registers each one separately.
Cost and timeline
Registration costs £100 per property for the initial application, plus £50 per year to renew. Payment is by card at the point of registration.
Processing takes between 5 and 15 working days for a straightforward application. Complications (missing safety certificates, planning issues, unclear primary residence) can add weeks. Landlords are advised to register at least four weeks before the first intended booking.
What happens if you do not register
Letting a property short-term without a valid registration is a civil offence attracting a fine of up to £2,500 per property, per breach. Repeat or wilful breaches can attract fines up to £30,000 and prosecution.
Airbnb and Booking.com have signed agreements with the government to check registration status before allowing a listing to go live. From 1 April 2026, both platforms require a valid registration number to be entered before a listing is published in England.
How it interacts with the 90-day rule
The registration scheme runs alongside the London 90-day rule; it does not replace it. In Greater London, you still need to:
- Register under the STR scheme, and
- Comply with the 90-day cap on short-let nights per year unless you have planning permission for change of use.
Registration is the enabling requirement. The 90-day cap is the operational constraint.
What are the changes to the scheme for landlords who use a management company
If you engage a professional short-let manager like Lush Homes, the registration is handled as part of onboarding, before the first booking is taken. We collect the required information from you, submit the application, pay the fee, and add the property to the compliance calendar so the annual renewal is tracked. You do not need to interact with the portal yourself unless a follow-up is required.
Our management contract includes STR registration as a standard service item. It is one of the things we handle so that you do not have to.
Where this leaves you
If you own a London property that is currently, or has ever been, listed as a short-let, you need to register. If you plan to start short-letting, you need to register before the first booking. If you use a management company, ask them to confirm the property is registered and the certificate is on file.
If you would like us to handle registration and the ongoing compliance work as part of a management contract, our list-your-property page has the next step. We do this for every property we take on.