How much can you earn from a short let in Brighton? (2026)

Across the Brighton and Hove homes we manage, 66.8% of available nights were booked in 2025, at around £160 a night. That works out at roughly £3,250 a month in bookings, before fees and costs. The average private rent in Brighton and Hove, according to the ONS, is £1,808 a month. Here's what those numbers really mean for your home.

Where do our figures come from?

The 66.8% figure comes from our own booking data for 1 January to 31 December 2025, and £160 is our average nightly price. Both are averages across the homes we manage in Brighton and Hove. They're not a promise for your home. A studio in Hanover and a four-bedroom house near the seafront will earn very different amounts. Your free valuation uses real bookings at homes near yours, which is far more useful than any average.

What does the wider Brighton market earn?

For comparison, here's the whole Brighton short-let market. According to BNBCalc's Brighton market data, based on 12-month averages to September 2026:

• The average listing earns about £29,500 a year in bookings, up 5% on the year before.
• Listings are booked on about 45% of available nights, down 6%.
• The average nightly rate is £174, up 17%.
• Guests book an average of 37 days ahead.

By size, BNBCalc's figures for average yearly bookings are:

Homes we manage were booked on 66.8% of available nights in 2025, well above the market's 45%, while our average nightly price of around £160 is a little below the market's £174. In short: the homes we manage fill more nights, at prices that keep them booked. Market averages include every kind of listing, from spare rooms let a few weeks a year to full-time holiday homes, so treat them as a guide rather than a like-for-like comparison.

How much is that a month?

• A month has about 30.4 nights on average.
• 66.8% of those nights booked is about 20.3 nights.
• At £160 a night, that's about £3,250 a month in bookings.
• Over a year, that's about £39,010 in bookings.

What costs come out of it?

Management. Our fee is 12% + VAT, which is 14.4% in total. On £3,250, that's about £468.

Cleaning and laundry. Guests usually pay a cleaning fee on top of the nightly price, which covers most of this cost. Check how any manager handles it.

Bills. Energy, water, broadband and a TV licence, which a tenant would normally pay themselves.

Council tax or business rates. Brighton and Hove can charge a premium on furnished homes nobody lives in; see the council's empty property and second home rules. A busy short let may qualify for business rates instead.

Insurance and safety. Cover that allows paying guests, plus gas, electrical and fire safety checks.

How does a short let compare with a tenant?

With a tenant, you receive the rent and the tenant pays the bills. The ONS puts the average Brighton and Hove private rent at £1,808 a month in May 2026. From that, you'd usually pay a letting agent's fee if you use one.

So the honest comparison isn't £3,250 against £1,808. It's what's left from a short let after the fee, bills, council tax and insurance, against what's left from rent after any agent's fee. For many Brighton homes, the short let still comes out ahead. For some, it doesn't, and we'll tell you if yours is one of them.

Our short-let vs long-let calculator does this sum for your own home in a minute.

Why does Brighton earn well?

Brighton is one of the UK's busiest visitor cities. The city's tourism study found 12.2 million trips to Brighton and Hove in 2024. Summer weekends, Pride, the Festival and Fringe in May, and a steady flow of weekend city breaks all fill homes. See our Brighton events calendar.

Why does income change through the year?

Short-let income isn't the same every month. Summer and event weekends earn most; January and February are usually quietest. A home that averages £3,250 a month might earn well above that in August and well below it in February. If you need exactly the same income every month, a tenancy may suit you better.

What pushes a home above the average?

• Location: walking distance to the seafront, the Lanes or the station.
• Space: homes that sleep four or more earn more per night.
• Photos and presentation: a bright, well-furnished home wins bookings.
• Pricing: prices that change with demand, rather than one fixed rate.
• Reviews: fast replies and spotless cleans lead to better reviews, and better reviews lead to more bookings.

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This is general information, not legal or tax advice. It is our own interpretation of the rules and figures as they stand on the date shown above, and they can change. Speak to a qualified solicitor or accountant before you act on anything here.