Short-term let rules in Bath and North East Somerset (updated 29 Oct 2026)

No licensing or local registration scheme. A national short-term let register for England is coming under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023; GOV.UK (updated 2 Oct 2026) says it is expected to begin in March 2027.

Until then, the main local rules are council tax or business rates, planning, and fire safety.

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No short-let control area or Article 4 direction for holiday lets (searched 26 Oct 2026). The council's Article 4 directions cover things like turning offices into homes in Bath, demolishing walls, estate agents' boards, houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in Bath and some protected land, not holiday-let use.

The national planning data register has no Article 4 data published for the council. A 2018 council scrutiny report on short-term lets said London's 90-night rule has no effect in Bath & North East Somerset, and that most short lets in Bath (3 or fewer rooms) stay in the C3 dwellinghouse use class, so are not a material change of use; larger ones can be, depending on the facts.

Much of Bath is a World Heritage Site and conservation area, so check before altering a building.

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No visitor levy. On 10 Sep 2026 the government announced that mayors and Foundation Strategic Authority leaders in England will get the power to bring in an Overnight Visitor Levy, as a percentage of the accommodation price.

A bill is still to come, so nothing applies yet. Bath & North East Somerset is part of the West of England Combined Authority, whose Mayor will get this power.

On 10 Sep 2026 the Combined Authority said people and businesses will be able to have their say in the coming months before plans are finalised. No rate or start date has been set.

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No short-let fees. Council tax: on 30 Nov 2023 Full Council unanimously resolved (minute 56) to increase council tax on all second homes by 100% from 1 Apr 2025, so a furnished home that is nobody's main home pays 200%.

The council's page (checked 26 Oct 2026) says it still charges the premium and that it shows on your annual bill. Exceptions (national rules from 1 Apr 2025) include: annexes treated as part of the main home (Class F); homes actively marketed for sale or let (Classes G and H, 12 months); probate (Class I, 12 months); job-related homes (Class J); occupied caravan pitches and boat moorings (Class K); and seasonal homes where year-round living is banned, or a planning condition limits use to holiday accommodation or stops anyone staying more than 28 days in a row (Class L).

The council adds that the 12-month sale or letting exception runs from the date the home was first advertised, can be used only once, and cannot apply if the home was first put on the market before 1 Apr 2024. Claim an exception online with the council's second home premium exception claim form; if the home is actually someone's main home, tell the council about a change of circumstances.

The council may ask for evidence and a visiting officer may check. Empty and unfurnished homes: at the same meeting the council agreed to charge the empty homes premium after 1 year from 1 Apr 2024 (minute 55).

Rates are 100% (1 to 5 years), 200% (5 to 10 years) and 300% (10 years or more), and they continue when the home changes owner. Empty-home exceptions include major repairs or structural work (Class M, up to 12 months).

If your holiday let meets the business rates test (available at least 140 nights and actually let at least 70 nights in the last 12 months, and you plan to offer 140 nights in the next 12), it is valued for business rates instead of council tax, so the premium does not apply.

A single let with a rateable value under £15,000 may get small business rate relief.

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