Holiday Accommodation: Greater London
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local councils in enforcing the 90-day rule for short-term lets in London; and whether he plans to strengthen enforcement powers where breaches are identified.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook
Section 25 of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973, as amended by section 44 of the Deregulation Act 2015, allows properties in London, which are liable for council tax, to be let out on a short-term basis for a maximum of 90 nights per calendar year without this being considered a material change of use for which planning permission is required. If these criteria are not met planning permission is required.
The government remains committed to implementing the short-term lets registration scheme, which was legislated for in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, as soon as practicable to support sustainable tourism and local communities.
Responsibility for developing the scheme lies with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and it entered its user testing phase in October last year.
DCMS is assessing legislative vehicles to extend the scheme's legal powers, to support local authorities with enforcement of the 90-nights rule.
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