How we decide if planning permission is needed
Deciding whether planning permission is required to use a property as a short term let can be complex, especially where the property is already in residential or tourist use.
Planning permission may or may not be required depending on the existing use and the impact of the proposed short term let.
When planning permission is likely to be required
Planning permission is likely to be required if the property is not currently used as:
- residential accommodation
- existing tourist accommodation
When planning permission may not be required
Planning permission may not be required if the property is already used as residential accommodation or tourist accommodation. However, each case must still be assessed individually.
How we make decisions
We assesses every case on its own merits. The main test is whether the short term let would result in a material change of use from the property's existing lawful use.
The assessment focuses on the expected impact of the proposed use on:
- neighbours
- local amenity
- local infrastructure
What we consider
Examples of factors we may consider include:
- the character of the property, including the number of bedrooms
- frequency of arrivals and departures
- number of people staying
- the likelihood that guests are a single household
- frequency or intensity of noisy or unsocial activities
- impact on public services, such as on‑street parking and waste collection
- use of communal areas or shared access
Examples of typical outcomes
Although every application is different, certain outcomes are more common.
A detached house in a rural location used by a single household as a short term let is less likely to involve a material change of use.
A flat in a multi‑unit building in an urban area is more likely to involve a material change of use, particularly where the use is not by a single household.
There is no general rule that a house is never material or that a flat always is, but these outcomes are expected to be common where the short term let is used by a single household.