A new report claims over half of London’s short-let properties are being rented out unlawfully.

A report by Central London Forward – a partnership of inner city boroughs – claims over 50 per cent of the 117,000 short-lets listed across the capital in 2024 were booked for over 90 days in the calendar year. Ninety days is the maximum allowed under London-specific regulations.

Media reports suggest the Central London Forward study shows the number of short-lets in London rising over the last decade.

In 2015, there were fewer than 30,000 but this doubled throughout 2016 to 60,000, peaking at over 100,000 in 2019. There was then a fall during the pandemic but that number has now recovered and been exceeded.

Addressing a London housing event, Westminster council leader Adam Hug says his borough has a particular glut of Airbnb-style short lets, especially in the West End, Bayswater, Lancaster Gate and Pimlico.

“This concentration has a profound effect on our local communities, which can [include] hollowing out long-term residents, making neighbours subject to significant noise disruption, fly-tipped waste linked to short-term let properties. But it also impacts the council services which have to pick up the waste, respond to the noise complaints and deal with pressure in the local housing market, as we see private rents rise year on year” he says.

“It means that hard-pressed planning enforcement teams are really struggling to build the evidence base to get the court to enforce the 90-day rule… In order to better regulate the market, and to empower local authorities, we really do need national Government to step up.”

Central London Forward wants the government to establish a register of short-lets, with advertising websites obliged to share information with councils and government. 

The government has repeatedly said on the issue that short lets can bring economic benefits to the economy and tourism industry, although what it calls “excessive concentrations”.

It says it will introduce a compulsory registration scheme.