Short-term let rules in Herefordshire (updated 5 Nov 2026)
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Dates we're watching for Herefordshire (1)
- Mar 2027: England short-term let register expected (GOV.UK)
Plus one short weekly UK "what changed" email.
Latest change for all England holiday lets (3 Nov 2026): Budget 2026 details confirmed: from 1 April 2027 the higher Small Business Rate Relief thresholds (100% relief up to 拢18,000 rateable value, tapering to 拢21,000) cover self-catering holiday lets that pay business rates, and mortgage interest relief rises to 24% from 6 April 2027 once Finance Bill 2026-27 passes. Source
No change specific to Herefordshire in our log (last checked 5 Nov 2026). Get free alerts for Herefordshire so you hear when that changes, plus changes that apply across England.
100% second homes council tax premium from 1 Apr 2025 (double bill), including holiday lets that don't qualify for business rates. No short-let licence; England register expected Mar 2027. No Article 4 for holiday lets; new development in the River Lugg and Clun catchments must show nutrient neutrality.
Licensing or registration
None foundNo 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.
Source: source
Control area / planning
None foundNo short-let control area, and no Article 4 direction aimed at holiday lets: the national planning data register lists none for Herefordshire Council (checked 5 Nov 2026). Whether letting a whole home as a short-term let is a material change of use is decided case by case.
New tourist accommodation is judged against Core Strategy Policy E4 (Tourism, 2015), which supports new accommodation across the county that extends the season and increases overnight stays, while saying significant new accommodation should be focused in Hereford and the market towns and only small-scale tourism development may suit rural areas.
A big local factor is river pollution: the council says all planning applications in the River Lugg and River Clun catchments must show nutrient neutrality (no extra phosphate, and for the Clun nitrate too) before the Habitats Regulations Assessment can be signed off, using Natural England's nutrient budget calculator, with council phosphate credits available to some applicants in the Lugg catchment.
Use the council's pre-application advice service before converting a building to holiday use.
Visitor levy
None foundNo visitor levy. On 4 Nov 2026 the government introduced the Visitor Levy Bill, which would let mayors and Foundation Strategic Authority leaders charge an Overnight Visitor Levy as a percentage of the accommodation price. The Bill still has to pass Parliament, so nothing applies yet.
Source: source
Fees
No short-let fees. Council tax: from 1 Apr 2025 Herefordshire charges an extra 100% premium on second homes (furnished and nobody's main or sole residence), so the bill is 200%.
The council says this also applies to holiday lets that do not meet the government's business rates rules for self-catering, and to homes used for seasonal workers. Council decided it on 9 Feb 2024 and published the statutory notice on 29 Feb 2024.
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).
To claim an exception, email counciltax@herefordshire.gov.uk with both addresses, your 8-digit council tax reference, the exception class and evidence (the council aims to reply within 4 weeks). There is no discount for empty homes; empty and unfurnished homes pay 200% council tax after 1 year, 300% after 5 years and 400% after 10 years.
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 拢15,000 may get small business rate relief.
Source: source source source source
Compare second homes council tax premiums across UK councils
What changed in Herefordshire
- Rules on this page last checked in full against the official sources listed above.
- All England lets Confirmed two Budget 2026 details for holiday lets. The higher Small Business Rate Relief thresholds from 1 April 2027 (100% relief up to 拢18,000 rateable value, tapering to 拢21,000) cover self-catering holiday lets that pay business rates, because they use the retail, hospitality and leisure definition, which includes self-catering accommodation and holiday homes. And mortgage interest relief for let property is given at the property basic rate under Finance Act 2026, so it rises to 24% from 6 April 2027 once Finance Bill 2026-27 passes. Official source
Newest first. Every UK change is in the changes log. Nothing here is legal advice: check the official source before acting.
England guides
- Do I need planning permission for a holiday let in England?
- Holiday let fire safety in England: what you need and a checklist
- Second homes council tax premium: who pays, business rates and exceptions
- Business rates or council tax? Occupancy threshold tracker
- How holiday lets are taxed since the FHL regime ended
Not sure what applies to your let? Use the free licence checker: pick your nation, council and type of let for a plain-English answer with the official source.
Buying here? See the buyer checks for Herefordshire: licence or registration, planning, visitor levy, business rates or council tax, plus the lender, insurance and title checks to make before you buy.
Key dates
- 2015: Core Strategy adopted (Policy E4 Tourism)
- 9 Feb 2024: council decided the second homes premium
- 29 Feb 2024: statutory notice published
- 1 Apr 2025: 100% second homes premium started
- Mar 2027: England short-term let register expected (GOV.UK)
Herefordshire short-let rules: quick answers
Do I need a licence or registration for a short-term let in Herefordshire?
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.
Do I need planning permission for a short-term let in Herefordshire?
No short-let control area, and no Article 4 direction aimed at holiday lets: the national planning data register lists none for Herefordshire Council (checked 5 Nov 2026). Whether letting a whole home as a short-term let is a material change of use is decided case by case. New tourist accommodation is judged against Core Strategy Policy E4 (Tourism, 2015), which supports new accommodation across the county that extends the season and increases overnight stays, while saying significant new accommodation should be focused in Hereford and the market towns and only small-scale tourism development may suit rural areas. A big local factor is river pollution: the council says all planning applications in the River Lugg and River Clun catchments must show nutrient neutrality (no extra phosphate, and for the Clun nitrate too) before the Habitats Regulations Assessment can be signed off, using Natural England's nutrient budget calculator, with council phosphate credits available to some applicants in the Lugg catchment. Use the council's pre-application advice service before converting a building to holiday use.
Is there a visitor levy (tourist tax) in Herefordshire?
No visitor levy. On 4 Nov 2026 the government introduced the Visitor Levy Bill, which would let mayors and Foundation Strategic Authority leaders charge an Overnight Visitor Levy as a percentage of the accommodation price. The Bill still has to pass Parliament, so nothing applies yet.
What fees apply to short-term lets in Herefordshire?
No short-let fees. Council tax: from 1 Apr 2025 Herefordshire charges an extra 100% premium on second homes (furnished and nobody's main or sole residence), so the bill is 200%. The council says this also applies to holiday lets that do not meet the government's business rates rules for self-catering, and to homes used for seasonal workers. Council decided it on 9 Feb 2024 and published the statutory notice on 29 Feb 2024. 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). To claim an exception, email counciltax@herefordshire.gov.uk with both addresses, your 8-digit council tax reference, the exception class and evidence (the council aims to reply within 4 weeks). There is no discount for empty homes; empty and unfurnished homes pay 200% council tax after 1 year, 300% after 5 years and 400% after 10 years. 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 拢15,000 may get small business rate relief.
Answers summarise the sections above. Follow each section's official source before acting.
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