England's short-term let registration: what property managers should do before March 2027

What is England's short-term let registration scheme, and when does it start?

That date comes from guidance the government updated on 2 October 2026, as reported by Clyde & Co and Wedlake Bell. The scheme is created under section 228 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. Wedlake Bell describes the definition as wide: accommodation provided to paying guests as part of a business, where it is not the guest's only or principal residence. It may also catch other short-stay accommodation, including serviced apartments.

The government says it wants the scheme to be light-touch, low-cost and mainly digital. The Act also lets the government prohibit providing or promoting an unregistered property and set civil penalties, though the enforcement rules are still to come.

This post is general information, not legal advice.

How does England compare with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

England is the last UK nation to move, so a manager with listings in more than one nation faces different rules in each.

Source: Wedlake Bell. Check each nation's regulator for current rules before acting, because details and dates change.

What should a property manager do now?

Start with data and permissions, because the portal and the registration number will only be useful if your records are clean. Two lists follow: what Wedlake Bell says owners and operators should review, and what I would add for a manager running many listings in a PMS.

Confirmed by Wedlake Bell

• Check whether each property's current use is likely to fall within the scheme. The regulations will set exemptions.
• Check the planning position and any local restrictions, bearing in mind the government's proposed planning use class for short-term lets.
• Check title or lease restrictions, including user covenants and any requirement for landlord consent.
• Check mortgage or lender requirements, including whether consent is needed for short-term use.
• Check fire, gas and electrical safety obligations, plus insurance and record-keeping.

My suggestions for a PMS-based operator

1. Build one compliance file per property. Address, accommodation type, maximum occupancy, owner details, safety certificates with expiry dates, insurance, and the consent evidence from the list above.
2. Add fields in your PMS. Create a custom field for a registration number and one for each certificate expiry, so a future registration can be filled in from your records and tracked.
3. Map responsibility with each owner. Agree in writing who registers, who holds the evidence and who pays any fee, once the regulations say who must register.
4. Plan the listing update. Expect to publish a registration number on listings. The regulations may require it, so confirm before relying on it. Know how you would push one field across Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo in bulk.
5. Run a monthly expiry check. Assign a named person to track certificates and occupancy changes.

Frequently asked questions