Over the past few years, I’ve watched more landlords than ever wrestle with the same question: should I stick with a long-term tenant or chase the higher nightly rates of a holiday let? The numbers can look seductive on paper. A well-located London flat might bring in £4,000 to £6,000 per month on Airbnb during peak season, compared to roughly £2,500 on a standard tenancy. That gap is real. But it’s also misleading if you don’t account for the costs, the tax changes, and the sheer unpredictability that comes with short-term guests. I’ve been covering UK property income for long enough to see the same pattern repeat: people chase the headline revenue, then get blindsided by the expenses and regulation. This article breaks down what both routes actually look like once you strip away the marketing.
Here’s what you actually need to know. The choice between a holiday let and a long-term rental isn’t just about which one earns more per month. It’s about how much work you want to do, how much risk you can stomach, and whether the numbers still stack up after the recent tax shake-up. I’ll walk through the real costs, the common traps, and the practical steps to figure out which route fits your property and your life. If you’re also weighing up broader portfolio moves, our piece on why UK landlords are switching to corporate lets covers another angle worth considering.
How holiday lets and long-term rentals actually compare
The most important thing to understand is that these two models are fundamentally different businesses, not just different ways of renting out the same property. A long-term let is a relatively passive income stream. You find a tenant, collect rent monthly, and your main job is handling repairs and compliance. A holiday let is closer to running a small hotel. You’re marketing, cleaning, restocking, managing bookings, and dealing with guests every few days. The revenue can be higher, but so is the workload.
Take Edinburgh as an example. During the Festival in August, a two-bedroom flat can command nightly rates over £300. That’s extraordinary. But outside peak season, the same flat might earn only £1,000 to £1,500 per month. The annual average works out to £2,000-£3,000 per month, which is still higher than a long-term let at £1,200-£1,600. But you have to survive the quiet months and cover the costs. What I’d do in that situation is model the whole year, not just August. One great month doesn’t pay the bills if the other eleven are mediocre.
Why the choice matters more than ever
The abolition of the FHL regime from April 2025 changed the maths significantly. Before that change, short-term let owners could claim capital allowances on furniture and equipment, offset losses against other income, and pay less capital gains tax when they sold. Those advantages are gone. That means the tax treatment of a holiday let is now broadly similar to a long-term rental, which removes one of the main reasons landlords chose the short-term route in the first place.
Consider a landlord in Manchester. A long-term let there might bring in £1,100-£1,400 per month. A holiday let could earn £1,800-£2,500 during peak season, but the annual average after accounting for low-season dips is closer to £1,300-£1,900. The revenue premium is still there — around 50-70% — but the running costs for a short-term let are substantially higher. Annual cleaning alone can run £3,000-£7,000, compared to zero for a long-term let where the tenant handles it. Utilities, insurance, management fees, and consumables all add up. The total annual cost of running a holiday let can be £14,800 to £34,500, versus £700 to £4,300 for a long-term let.
I’ve seen landlords pour money into furnishing a property for short-term lets, only to realise after a year that the net profit was barely higher than what they’d have earned from a long-term tenant with far less hassle. The scenario where a holiday let clearly wins is a prime-location property in a city with strong year-round tourism demand, where you can consistently hit 70% occupancy or higher. If your property is in a secondary location or a market with seasonal dips, the long-term let often comes out ahead once you factor in the extra work.
Where people go wrong with holiday lets
The most common mistake I see is underestimating the running costs. The numbers from the research are stark. A short-term let’s annual costs are 3 to 8 times higher than a long-term let’s. That’s not a small difference. It’s the difference between a tidy profit and breaking even. People see the gross revenue and think they’re onto a winner, but they forget that every booking brings a cleaning fee, a utility bill, and wear and tear on furnishings that need replacing every 3-5 years.
Ignoring the occupancy cliff
Occupancy is the single biggest variable. A long-term let achieves near-100% occupancy, minus a few weeks between tenancies. A holiday let that falls below 55% occupancy is almost certainly less profitable than a long-term let. The break-even point — where short-term revenue matches long-term revenue — sits between 55-65% for most UK markets. New hosts often start at 40-50% occupancy while they build reviews and search ranking. That first six months can be brutal on cash flow.
Overlooking the regulatory landscape
Edinburgh has introduced some of the UK’s strictest short-term let regulations, requiring a licence from the council. The licensing scheme has reduced the number of short-term lets and increased compliance costs. London’s 90-day rule continues to limit Airbnb hosting without planning consent. These rules aren’t static. They’re tightening. If you buy a property planning to run it as a holiday let, you need to check the local regulations first. A tenant landlord lawyer can help you understand the specific requirements in your area before you commit.
Forgetting the tax hit
The FHL abolition means you can no longer claim capital allowances on furnishings or offset losses against other income. That change alone can wipe out a significant chunk of the profit advantage a holiday let once had. If you were relying on those tax benefits to make the numbers work, it’s time to re-run the sums.
→ Scroll right to see all columns
| Cost Category | Long-Term Let (Annual) | Holiday Let (Annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | £0 (tenant responsibility) | £3,000 – £7,000 |
| Utilities | £0 (tenant pays) | £2,000 – £3,500 |
| Insurance | £200 – £400 | £500 – £1,200 |
| Management fees | £0 – £2,400 | £3,000 – £8,000 |
| Total estimated annual cost | £700 – £4,300 | £14,800 – £34,500 |
What I’d do if I were starting from scratch is run a full-year projection for both scenarios using realistic occupancy figures — not the best-case numbers from a peak month. Use 60% occupancy for the holiday let in year one, and factor in the full cost stack. If the net profit is only a few thousand pounds more than the long-term let, the extra work probably isn’t worth it.
How to decide which route is right for your property
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The decision comes down to three things: your property’s location, your tolerance for active management, and the numbers after tax and costs. Here’s how to work through each one.
Assess your property’s tourism potential
Not every property is suited to holiday lets. The cities with the biggest revenue premiums — Edinburgh at 55-85%, London at 60-80%, Bath at 55-75% — all have strong year-round tourism demand plus major seasonal events. If your property is in a commuter town or a residential area without tourist attractions, the holiday let premium will be much smaller. A property in Birmingham, for example, has a revenue premium of 40-55%, which is decent but not transformative. You need to be honest about whether your location can sustain the occupancy levels required.
Calculate the real net profit
Start with the gross revenue for both scenarios, then subtract the full cost stack. For a holiday let, that means platform fees (3% from the host, plus the guest service fee), cleaning, utilities, Wi-Fi, council tax (which the landlord pays), insurance, furnishing replacement, consumables, maintenance, and management if you use one. The total can easily hit £14,800 to £34,500 per year. For a long-term let, the costs are minimal: maybe a letting agent fee and basic maintenance. If the holiday let net profit is only marginally higher, the long-term let is the better choice for peace of mind.
Factor in the new tax reality
With the FHL regime gone, the tax treatment is now broadly similar. But there are still differences. Holiday let owners may qualify for business rates instead of council tax if the property is let for more than 140 nights per year. That can be a saving, but it’s not automatic. You need to apply and meet the criteria. The loss of capital allowances is the bigger hit. If you were planning to claim those on a new furnishing spend, that benefit is gone. A financial advisor can run the post-April 2025 numbers for your specific situation.
Consider the management burden
This is the one that catches people off guard. A long-term let might require a few hours of work per month. A holiday let can easily demand 10-20 hours per week if you’re managing it yourself. If you use a short-term let manager, fees run 20-25% of revenue, which eats into the premium. I’ve spoken to landlords who switched back to long-term lets simply because they were tired of the constant churn. If your time is valuable, that has a cost too.
- 1Model both scenarios with realistic occupancyUse 60% occupancy for the holiday let in year one, and 95% for the long-term let. Factor in the full cost stack from the table above.
- 2Check local regulationsLook up licensing requirements, the 90-day rule in London, and any planning restrictions in your area before committing to a short-term let.
- 3Run the post-tax comparisonWith the FHL regime gone, calculate your net income after tax for both routes. The gap may be smaller than you expect.
- 4Decide based on your time and risk toleranceIf the net profit difference is less than 20%, the long-term let is almost certainly the better choice for most landlords.
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch from a long-term let to a holiday let without planning permission? ▾
What happens to my mortgage if I switch to a holiday let? ▾
Is the 90-day rule in London still enforced? ▾
Do I need a gas safety certificate for a holiday let? ▾
Can I claim mortgage interest relief on a holiday let? ▾
What occupancy rate do I need to beat a long-term let in Birmingham? ▾
The bottom line is that holiday lets still offer higher revenue potential in the right locations, but the margin for error is much thinner than it used to be. Higher costs, tighter regulation, and the loss of tax advantages mean you can’t just assume the short-term route will pay off. Run the numbers for your specific property, be realistic about occupancy, and factor in the value of your own time. If this was useful, you might also want to read how to make money from UK property without owning a home.
Sources and Further Reading
Decoding UK house prices: what’s driving the market shift — A broader look at the property market trends affecting landlords and investors right now.
Airbnb vs long-term let: which is more profitable UK 2026. Uselatch, 2025.
Airbnb vs renting: a comprehensive comparison. Mansons, 2025.
