Planning rules for short lets have moved quickly over the last two years, and the answer to "do I need permission?" now depends on where your property is and how many nights a year you let it. Here's the current position for England in 2026.
The basic rule
Planning permission is required when there's a material change of use from a dwelling (Use Class C3) to short-term holiday accommodation. In practice, occasional letting of your own home rarely triggers this. Year-round, commercial-scale short letting of a whole property is far more likely to.
The government has introduced a new use class (C5) for short-term lets, with permitted development rights that allow switching between a dwelling and a short let in most areas — but councils can remove those rights in pressured areas using an Article 4 direction.
Article 4 directions: the thing to actually check
Where an Article 4 direction is in place, the automatic right to convert is withdrawn and you must apply for full planning permission. These are concentrated in tourist hotspots and city centres with housing pressure.
Always check your local authority's planning portal for Article 4 directions covering your postcode before you start. This is a five-minute check that can save a very expensive mistake.
London's 90-day rule
In Greater London, entire-home short lets are capped at 90 nights per calendar year without planning permission, under the Deregulation Act 2015. Airbnb enforces this automatically on its platform. Outside London there is no equivalent national night cap.
The short-term let registration scheme
A mandatory registration scheme for short-term lets in England is being rolled out. Registration is a separate requirement from planning — you may need to register even where no planning permission is needed. Expect to provide property details and confirm compliance with safety obligations, and to display your registration number on listings.
What this means in Manchester, Liverpool and Chester
- Manchester — no blanket short-let ban, but the council has become more active on city-centre intensification and Article 4 coverage. Apartment blocks frequently restrict short letting through the lease, which is often the tighter constraint.
- Liverpool — a strong short let market with an established visitor economy. Check both Article 4 coverage and any HMO or licensing overlays on the property.
- Chester — heritage and conservation area rules bite more often than short-let-specific rules. Listed building consent may be needed for external changes even where the letting use itself is fine.
Don't overlook your lease and mortgage
Two things stop more short lets than planning ever does:
- Leasehold covenants. Many leases prohibit letting for periods under six months or require use as a private residence only. Breaching this can mean forfeiture proceedings.
- Mortgage terms. A standard residential or buy-to-let mortgage usually doesn't permit holiday letting. You may need consent or a holiday let product.
Also confirm your insurer covers short-term letting — standard landlord policies typically don't.
Your compliance checklist
- Check the council planning portal for Article 4 directions
- Register under the short-term let scheme where required
- Read your lease for short-letting restrictions
- Get lender consent or a holiday let mortgage
- Arrange specialist short let insurance
- Annual gas safety certificate and EICR
- Interlinked smoke and CO alarms
- Fire risk assessment and clear escape routes
- PAT testing and fire-safe furnishings
Getting it right first time
Most owners in Manchester, Liverpool and Chester can operate legally with no planning application at all — but only after checking Article 4, lease and mortgage. Propel handles the compliance side as part of onboarding, so nothing gets missed before your first guest.
Talk to us about your property if you're not sure where you stand.