Sharp rise in Airbnb listings in London

London now has significantly more Airbnb listings than ever before, with a growing number of buy-to-let landlords turning to the holiday letting website to list their properties to let.

Despite the 90-day cap on listings, Airbnb is helping thousands of landlords secure rentals every week, prompting concern among some Londoners that an epidemic of bookings is changing the character of some popular neighbourhoods in the capital.

London has seen the biggest jump in the number of individuals advertising property on Airbnb, with a 43% rise in the volume of multi-listings on Airbnb recorded in the last 12 months, according to Portico.

The company, which launched an Airbnb interior styling service last year, as part of their premium Airbnb management package, reports that while there are some definite trends around where Airbnb is already a success, including Kensington and Chelsea and Tower Hamlets, there are also some surprising up-and-coming hotspots.

The highest growth in booked listings was recorded in Sutton which saw a 183% increase in booked listings year-on-year, up from an almost non-existent presence on Airbnb in 2016. They currently have 151 active rentals, with the second cheapest average daily rate in London, at £71.

Other areas in which the number of booked properties rose over 60% in the last year include Hillingdon, Enfield, Barking and Dagenham and Redbridge, all areas from which central London is easily commutable.

Mark Lawrinson, regional director at Portico, said: “Airbnb has become a way of life for most Londoners and isn’t confined to those that are property professionals or landlords. Although it is a great option for landlords to maximise income during void periods, it is also a fantastic way to make additional income out of your property at points you don’t need it, such as work trips away, holidays or just the odd weekend.

“We have seen great take-up on Portico Host, our full Airbnb management service where we take care of everything from the initial rental valuation to the preparation of the property. This is an attractive prospect for Airbnb hosts as the on hand management team take care of everything, and just deliver the pay-packet at the end of the month.”

AirDNA data taken in April 2018.

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