Brighton and Hove City Council is lobbying ministers to trial a local licensing scheme for short-term holiday lets, amid concerns that thousands of properties are being diverted from the residential rental market.
A report to the council’s Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee estimates between 2,000 and 6,000 homes in the city are used as short-term lets, with officials citing rising health and safety concerns, waste issues and tax compliance problems.
National registration scheme still in development
The government is currently developing a national registration platform for short-term lets, which could begin testing with selected local authorities this spring. Brighton wants to be among the pilot areas and has proposed going further with a full licensing regime.
The council report states the proposed scheme would aim to “raise health and safety standards, prevent rubbish dumping and make sure the proper taxes are paid.”
Council officials from planning, tourism and environmental protection teams are involved in discussions. The committee will meet at Hove Town Hall on Tuesday 24 March to debate the proposals.
The push for tighter controls follows Landlord Knowledge’s report that Brighton led UK rent growth with a 15 percent annual increase – the highest of any major city. The connection between short-let proliferation and rising residential rents has become a key political issue in coastal and tourist areas.
Additional planning restrictions under consideration
Last year Brighton’s cabinet agreed to explore stricter planning controls, including clauses in leases for new builds to prevent short-let use and establishing geographic zones with tougher rules similar to those for hotels and B&Bs.
Planning chiefs have commissioned a visitor accommodation study as part of developing a new City Plan. The difficulty in establishing exact numbers of short lets – with estimates ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 – highlights the enforcement challenges councils face without mandatory registration.
Industry body Airbnb has previously argued that local licensing would be “premature” ahead of the national registration scheme, suggesting it risks “unnecessary duplication.”
What this means for landlords
- If you operate short lets in Brighton: A licensing scheme could impose new costs and compliance requirements – watch for the committee’s recommendations on 24 March
- Watch for: The national short-term let registration scheme testing later this year may expand to more areas, with Brighton likely among early adopters
- Bottom line: The regulatory gap between PRS landlords and short-let operators is narrowing – expect increasing parity in compliance requirements
Editor’s view
Brighton’s push is part of a broader tide. Councils in tourist areas increasingly see short lets as competition for housing stock rather than economic benefit. Whether licensing actually returns properties to the PRS remains unproven – but the direction of travel is clear. Short-let operators should prepare for a compliance regime that looks increasingly like traditional lettings.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 18 March 2026
Sources: Brighton and Hove City Council, Brighton and Hove News
Related reading: Brighton leads UK rent surge with 15% spike as South Coast outpaces London
