Joining offer: onboarding fee waived on full-time packages (usually £150), plus professional photos and a lockbox fitted, worth around £250, on us.

Airbnb and short-let management in Chester.

Race days on the Roodee, Chester Zoo and a walled Roman city. We turn that demand into money in your account, from 12% + VAT.

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Chester earnings

What a 3-bed in Chester earns.

Before and after our fee, so you know exactly what lands in your account.

Bookings a month£2,950
After our fee, from 12% + VAT£2,530
A year in bookings£35,400

See what every size earns in Chester, from studios to 4+ bedrooms

Average for a 3-bedroom short let in Chester, from BNBCalc market data for Chester, 12-month averages to September 2026. Bookings before platform fees, cleaning, running costs and management fees. "After our fee" uses our lowest rate, 12% + VAT, for full-time hosts on a three-year agreement. Rates go up to 20% + VAT. Your property may earn more or less depending on its size, location and season. These are estimates, not guarantees. Please do your own research and due diligence using market data sites such as AirDNA, Airbtics, AirROI or PriceLabs.

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Why Chester works

Chester is a weekend break waiting to happen.

Visitors come for the Roman walls, the Rows and the cathedral, and families travel from across the North West for Chester Zoo.

Race days at Chester Racecourse fill the city, while contractors and business travellers keep weekdays steady.

Areas we cover
Inside the city wallsHooleHandbridgeBoughtonCurzon ParkQueen's ParkUpton
  • May to SeptemberRace meetings at the Roodee, the oldest racecourse in England.
  • SummerPeak tourist season and family trips to Chester Zoo.
  • All yearContractors and business travellers during the week.
  • DecemberChristmas markets and weekend breaks.
Your local manager

A local manager in Chester, not a call centre.

Your home in Chester is looked after by a local manager from the Houst network who lives and works in the area. One person who knows your home, your guests and you.

One person, not a queue

No ticket numbers and no explaining your home to a stranger every time. Your manager already knows which key sticks and where the stopcock is.

Knows your area

Your manager knows when your city fills up, which streets guests book first, and which trades actually turn up on time.

Eyes on your home

Your home is checked after every stay, and on medium-term stays you get a photo report at least every 30 days, so you never have to wonder how it's looking.

Everything starts with a free discovery call with our team on Google Meet.

Rules for Chester landlords

What the law asks of you, and what we handle.

Short-let rules change from time to time. Here is what applies in Chester, and we'll keep you up to date once your home is live.

Night limits

No cap in Chester

The 90-night-a-year limit only applies in London. You can let your Chester home for as many nights as you want.

Planning permission

Check before you start

Letting a whole home that isn't your main residence all year round can count as a change of use, and Cheshire West and Chester Council decides each case on its own facts. Much of central Chester is a conservation area and many buildings are listed, so safety upgrades can need extra consent. We go through this with you, along with your lease and mortgage terms, before your home goes live.

National short-let register

Being introduced

England is introducing a national register of short-term and holiday lets. Once it's running, booking sites are expected to ask for a registration number on every listing. We'll handle the registration for you.

Safety

We check at onboarding

Every short-let needs a written fire risk assessment and working smoke alarms, plus carbon monoxide alarms where needed and an annual gas safety certificate if there's gas. An EPC is needed if your home is let for four months or more a year, which covers most full-time short-lets. A five-yearly electrical check (EICR) isn't a legal requirement for short lets in England, but Guestwise asks every host for one, and most insurers expect it.

Tax and business rates

Speak to your accountant

Short-let income is taxable, and the old furnished holiday let tax rules no longer apply. If your home is available for 140 nights or more a year and actually let for 70 or more, it may pay business rates instead of council tax.

Renters' Rights Act

No tenancy, no AST

Guests stay under a licence for up to 30 days at a time with a set checkout date. We keep access to clean and inspect your home, and on medium-term stays we photograph it at least every 30 days. What landlords in England can do now.

This is general guidance, not legal or tax advice. Rules depend on your property, building and circumstances, so we check yours as part of your valuation.
Chester questions

Chester landlords ask us.

How much could my Chester home earn?

The answer depends on your home's size, street and the time of year. Get your free instant valuation at the top of this page, and we'll talk you through the detail on a free call.

Is there a limit on how many nights I can let in Chester?

No. The 90-night limit only applies in London. Chester has no cap on nights, although planning rules and your lease still apply.

My home is in a conservation area. Can I still short-let it?

Usually, yes. Conservation areas and listing mainly affect changes to the building, so we plan any safety upgrades carefully with you.

Do I need to register my Chester property?

England is introducing a national short-let register. Once it's running, we'll handle the registration for you and add your number to every listing.

How is a short let different from a long let?

We don't use ASTs or tenancy agreements. Guests stay under a licence for up to 30 days at a time, with a set checkout date, and we keep access to clean and inspect your home. This is general information, not legal advice. For advice on your own home, speak to a solicitor.

Which parts of Chester do you cover?

Inside the city walls, Hoole, Handbridge, Boughton, Curzon Park, Queen's Park and Upton. Send us your postcode and we'll confirm.

What brings guests to Chester

  • A Roman and medieval city. Chester began as the Roman fortress of Deva, has the most complete city walls in Britain, and its two-tier medieval shopping galleries, the Rows, are unique.
  • The oldest racecourse. Racing has taken place on the Roodee since 1539, making Chester Racecourse the oldest racecourse still in use.
  • Chester Zoo. Chester Zoo is one of the UK's most visited zoos, and families visiting it often stay a night or two.
  • Big employers nearby. The University of Chester, finance employers on Chester Business Park and the Airbus wing factory at Broughton, just over the Welsh border, bring business guests and contractors.

Every one of these brings guests on specific dates. We add them to your calendar and price those nights to match.

Find out what your Chester home could earn

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