Short-term let rules in Malvern Hills (updated 6 Nov 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.

Source: source

No short-let control area, and no Article 4 direction aimed at holiday lets: the national planning data register lists none for Malvern Hills District Council (checked 6 Nov 2026). Whether letting a whole home as a short-term let is a material change of use is decided case by case.

The adopted Local Plan is the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review (SWDPR), which came into effect on 26 Mar 2026 and replaced the 2016 South Worcestershire Development Plan. It is a joint plan with Worcester City and Wychavon.

Policy SWDPR 45 (Visitor Accommodation) permits new visitor accommodation, including self-catering and holiday lets, within Development Boundaries where the type and scale fit and neighbouring amenity is protected; outside Development Boundaries it is limited to farm or rural-business diversification, ancillary accommodation to a pub or similar, extensions to an established hotel or venue, reuse of a substantial redundant building, or sites adjoining a Development Boundary and physically related to visitor accommodation inside it.

The Malvern Hills National Landscape (formerly AONB) is protected under Policy SWDPR 31; it is not a National Park and Malvern Hills District Council remains the planning authority.

Source: source source source source

Compare planning rules for short lets across UK councils

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.

Source: source

No short-let fees. Council tax: from 1 Apr 2025 Malvern Hills charges a 100% premium on second homes (furnished properties that are no one's sole or main residence), so the bill doubles.

The council's Discounts, premiums and exemptions page says elected members voted to use the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act powers under sections 11C and 11D. 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's page lists those exception classes (E to L) and says to email with your account number and the class you want to claim. If your second home is job-related you may be eligible for a 50% discount (Classes A to C: tied accommodation required by your employment contract, a minister of religion's residence, or Ministry of Defence accommodation).

Empty and substantially unfurnished homes: the same page still describes a 200% charge after more than 2 years (the older empty-homes premium wording) and does not set out a 1-year empty premium or the 5-year / 10-year tiers on that page.

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.

Source: source source

Compare second homes council tax premiums across UK councils