Westminster Council Leader Demands Airbnb Rein In Unlawful Short-Term Lets Across London’s West End
Paul Swaddle, the newly appointed leader of Westminster City Council, has written directly to Airbnb and rival booking platforms demanding action on what he describes as “out of control” short-term renting in London’s West End, with an estimated 2,700 properties believed to be operating unlawfully.
Scale of the Problem
Westminster alone hosts approximately 13,000 short-term rental listings, of which more than 10,000 are whole properties, according to Mr Swaddle’s estimates. London homeowners are legally permitted to let their homes for no more than 90 days per year under legislation introduced in 2015, with fines of up to £20,000 for breaches.
Despite that legal framework, BBC research has documented landlords circumventing the cap — including through the use of multiple accounts to artificially extend booking periods beyond the permitted limit.
In his letter, seen by The Times, Mr Swaddle argued that “for far too long the people of Westminster have had to live with blatant disregard” for the 90-day rule, citing antisocial consequences including dumped rubbish and disruptive parties.
Council-Owned Properties Among Those Listed
Mr Swaddle has specifically urged platforms to remove council-owned properties from their booking systems, noting that such homes are “ineligible to be short-let as per the terms of their leases.” He is also calling on platforms to share nightly letting data with local authorities to strengthen regulatory enforcement.
The problem is not new to Westminster. In 2018, the council found that 90 per cent of 118 properties at Forset Court — a mansion block near Hyde Park — were being used as holiday rentals, prompting comparisons with hotel occupancy rates exceeding those of the Ritz. In Barnet, a landlord was fined £75,000 last year after two flats were found listed on both Airbnb and Booking.com in breach of local regulations.
Platforms Respond With Qualified Support
Airbnb, which launched in London in 2008, said in a statement that it supported the 90-day cap and was engaged in “ongoing dialogue with Westminster City Council.” The company added that it would “continue to keep them updated on our support for a registration scheme in England, which will give local authorities the tools and data they need to address any issues stemming from short-term lets where they do occur.”
Booking.com echoed the call for a proportionate regulatory framework, stating: “Any successful regulation needs to be both reasonable and proportionate, taking into account the interests of communities, homeowners, digital platforms and consumers alike.” The firm said it backed a registration system underpinned by a platform-accessible database displaying registration numbers.
Political Context
The intervention comes after the Conservatives regained control of Westminster Council from Labour in last month’s London local elections. Labour had itself attempted to address the issue in February, when MP Rachel Blake called for a mandatory registration scheme to enforce the 90-day rule more effectively.
The debate over short-term lets is set to intensify further following London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan’s announcement of plans to introduce a tourist tax on visitors to the capital, covering both hotel guests and short-term rental occupants.