Airbnb and short-let management in Essex.
Stansted flyers, London commuters and seaside weekends. We turn that demand into money in your account, from 12% + VAT.
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What a 3-bed in Essex earns.
Before and after our fee, so you know exactly what lands in your account.
See what every size earns in Essex, from studios to 4+ bedrooms
Average for a 3-bedroom short let in Essex, from BNBCalc market data for Essex, 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.
Get my free valuationEssex has guests arriving from every direction.
Stansted Airport brings travellers who need a bed the night before or after a flight, and fast trains make Essex a popular, lower-cost base for visiting London.
Contractors, hospital staff and families relocating need places for weeks at a time, while Southend and the coast fill up on summer weekends.
Areas we cover- SummerSeaside weekends in Southend and along the coast.
- All yearAirport travellers around Stansted.
- WeekdaysContractors and London commuters.
- DecemberChristmas visits and winter weekend breaks.
A local manager in Essex, not a call centre.
Your home in Essex 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.
What the law asks of you, and what we handle.
Short-let rules change from time to time. Here is what applies in Essex, and we'll keep you up to date once your home is live.
Night limits
No cap in EssexThe 90-night-a-year limit only applies in London. You can let your Essex home for as many nights as you want.
Planning permission
Check before you startLetting a whole home that isn't your main residence all year round can count as a change of use, and your local council decides each case on its own facts. We go through this with you, along with your lease and mortgage terms, before your home goes live.
National short-let register
Being introducedEngland 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 onboardingEvery 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 accountantShort-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 ASTGuests 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.
Essex landlords ask us.
How much could my Essex 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 Essex?
No. The 90-night limit only applies in London. Essex has no cap on nights, although planning rules and your lease still apply.
Which council decides on planning?
Essex has several councils, including Chelmsford, Colchester and Southend. We'll check the rules for your exact address with you.
Do I need to register my Essex 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 Essex do you cover?
Towns across the county, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Southend-on-Sea, Brentwood, Saffron Walden and Maldon. Send us your postcode and we'll confirm.
What brings guests to Essex
- Britain's oldest recorded town. Colchester is Britain's oldest recorded town, and Colchester Castle, built on the foundations of a Roman temple, is one of the county's biggest attractions.
- Universities. The University of Essex in Colchester and Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford bring open days, graduations and visiting families.
- Airports. London Stansted and London Southend airports are both in Essex, bringing travellers who need a bed before an early flight or after a late landing.
- The world's longest pleasure pier. Southend Pier stretches more than a mile into the Thames Estuary, and the seafront around it is the heart of the county's summer market.
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 Essex home could earn
Free valuation. Nobody rings you unless you ask them to.
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