The BBC claims it’s discovered over 1,000 listings which have been duplicated by landlords to avoid restrictions on Airbnb lettings.

Short lets advertised for London properties on Airbnb and similar platforms can occur for no more than 90 nights a year without planning consent. But the BBC is accusing many landlords of creating multiple listings for the same property and switching from one listing to another when he 90-night limit is reached. 

The corporation used photo-matching software to analyse 37,000 listings for “entire” homes on Airbnb in London on a single day.

Some 1,300 reused identical images and were believed to be switching listings at the 90-night point. 

Airbnb says it’s “disappointed” with the BBC had not shared this photo-matching evidence with the platform, but said it would act against landlords if local rules – such as the 90-night limit in London – were being breached. It says it also has in-built software to identify apparent breaches.

Airbnb says short-lets make up only a tiny fraction of London’s housing stock and have negligible impact on overall affordability.

The leader of Labour-controlled Westminster council, Adam Hug – interviewed by the BBC following its investigation – says: “Duplicate listings make it much harder for our teams to track down those who are breaking the rules, making such misery for local residents and taking homes out of the housing market.” 

He adds that the duplications make a mockery of London’s short let restrictions; his council alone claims to be investigating about 2,700 properties for alleged breaches of the 90-day limit.

Meanwhile the government has told the BBC it is continuing its work to develop a registration scheme for short-term lets in England.