The New Government Holiday Let Registration Scheme 2026

Have you heard about the government holiday let registration scheme for England, expected to land sometime in April 2026? Up until now, the holiday let sector hasn’t operated under the same level of regulation as hotels and other types of accommodation. Now things are set to change in the short term letting world, bringing the industry up to date and adding a new level of professionalism to holiday let owners. It’s time to join the club!

In this article we provide an up-to-date breakdown of this regulatory shift including what has been confirmed so far, what we think is most likely to happen, the things we still don’t know, and what you need to do to prepare yourself.

What is the government holiday let registration scheme?

The UK Government is introducing a national registration scheme for short-term lets and holiday lets in England. It won’t all happen at once, due to be phased in gradually from April 2026. Called the government holiday let registration scheme, it’ll affect people who own holiday lets, Airbnb-style rentals, and also serviced accommodation, forming part of wider reforms under statutory law via 2023’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.

What is the scheme designed to achieve?

There are several goals. First, to create better oversight, simply because in many areas of the country the authorities currently don’t know how many short-term lets there are. It’s also a safety enforcement thing, designed to help ensure the properties meet basic health and safety standards. There’s a housing stock pressure component to address concerns that too many holiday lets will reduce England’s long term housing supply. And then there’s the competition angle. The government is keen to make sure there’s fair competition in the holiday let market, bringing it in line with the existing regulatory standards for hotels.

Important features of the registration scheme

The scheme will take the form of a mandatory national register, a central government database where all short-term lets must be registered. At the moment it looks like it’ll be phased in, with Phase 1 involving voluntary registration and a second phase concerning mandatory enforcement.

Every property falling under the scheme will be given its own unique registration number, an ID that must be clearly displayed on listings on sites like Airbnb and Booking.com and in all of your marketing materials. In future, is a property isn’t registered, these platforms might be required to remove or block unregistered listings.

What information do property owners need to provide?

We believe holiday let and other owners will have to provide the address of the property, details about the type of property, details about the owner or operator, the number of nights the place is let each year and, if relevant, the planning status.

What it means for safety and compliance

When you register you’ll need to confirm you have a CP12 Gas Safety Certificate, an EICR Electrical Safety Report, and a Fire Risk Assessment. Every property must have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms fitted along with all the relevant fire safety equipment and escape route plans. All of this aligns short term lets nicely with the government’s existing regulated accommodation standards.

Will you have to pay to register?

The sector is expecting a registration fee, but we don’t have confirmation and we don’t yet know how much it is likely to cost.

Will the data be shared?

The data you provide to the register will be shared with councils, giving local authorities access to property information including the compliance status. This’ll help them enforce the rules and regulations and also monitor the impact of holiday lets and other short term lets on local housing supplies.

Related changes

Some important planning amendments are linked to the new register. We’ll probably see a new ‘use class’ for short term lets planning, potentially called ‘C5’ (at the moment, most holiday lets are standard residential dwellinghouses called C3). This could mean some properties will need planning permission, if councils decide to put restrictions on the number of new short term lets in any hotspots. Plus, in London, the 90-night rule will still apply.

We’re likely to see some financial changes happening in parallel with the register, such as a ‘tourist tax’ or visitor levy applied.

What don’t we know about the government holiday let registration scheme?

So far, various important details haven’t been confirmed. We’ve already mentioned the cost of registering, which is still up in the air. The launch date might change, as may the timing of the launch phases. The enforcement penalties haven’t been announced yet. We’re not sure whether all types of property will be treated the same. And we don’t yet know how strict the local planning controls will be. On the bright side, we’ll provide the information as it comes through – so watch this space!

What impact will it have on holiday let owners?

From a positive angle, the new register will help guests trust you more, in the same way consumers can already trust hotels. The entire sector will become more professional and the rules will be national, the same wherever in the country your holiday let property happens to be.

Likely downsides include more admin to handle, and extra compliance costs. You could face new planning restrictions and casual hosts will lose some of the flexibility they’ve enjoyed so far.

What should you do next?

If you own or manage a holiday let, it makes sense to be prepared. So collect together the evidence that your property meets safety standards: your safety certificates for gas, electricity and fire. Check your planning status. Keep accurate letting records from now on, if you haven’t already. And keep your eyes open for official GOV.UK updates.

In conclusion, every holiday let in England will probably have to register, meet the same basic safety standards as hotels and private landlords, display their registration number, and become visible to local authorities in a move being described as ‘full formal regulation’ of the short-term rental sector.

As always, feel free to contact our team of experts if you have any questions. We’ll be keeping ourselves updated, of course, and we’re always happy to help.