Short let query about Council Tax and Electoral Register?

Council Tax bill, electoral register and ballot box illustrating questions about running a flat as a short-term let

by Readers Question

8:57 AM, 26th August 2026, 4 weeks ago 2

Categories:

Landlord News Guest Authors Holiday lets

Hi everyone, I’m planning to put my flat on a short-term/Airbnb. The property is personally owned, but the short-let business will be operated and managed through my limited company.

I’m trying to clarify how I should deal with the Council Tax and the Electoral Register while the property is being used as a short let.

In particular, does anyone know:

Whose name should be on the Council Tax account
Should I notify the council that the property is being operated as a short-let/Airbnb?
What should I select on the Electoral Register/council form where it asks about the property’s use?
Does the fact that the property is operated by a limited company make any difference to the Council Tax or electoral registration?

I’m trying to make sure everything is correctly declared.

Any advice from anyone who has been through a similar situation.

Thanks.

Jay

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Tags: Airbnb landlord, council tax, Electoral Register, limited company property, short term lets, short-let landlords

Just Be Happy

Member Since March 2024 - Comments: 23

6:08 AM, 8th September 2026, About 2 weeks ago

I was hoping someone with expert knowledge might reply to your post before me, but since they haven’t I will give you my best guess as the answers to your queries:

1) The Council Tax would be registered in your personal name as owner-occupier. In the same way that if I own a buy-to-let (between tenancies) it is myself, not the management company that is registered.
2) Find out (through Google or by calling directly) whether your council has any requirement for planning/authorisation for use as short-term/holiday let. I called my council who confirmed this was not required, however some councils e.g. London, Edinburgh etc. would require change-of-use planning consent.
3) Property’s use is presumably C3 i.e. “Residential” rather than C1. The proposed C5 class for short-term lets is not yet active in England.
4) I don’t see that who operates the short-term let is relevant – it could be a Ltd Co or an individual, but doesn’t affect the nature of the property and its use.

These are just my thoughts, not tested in a court! Hope they are helpful 🙂

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Just Be Happy

Member Since March 2024 - Comments: 23

6:28 AM, 8th September 2026, About 2 weeks ago

p.s. Once your short-term/holiday let reaches a certain point it may qualify for business rates rather than Council Tax, as follows:
1} It must be available to let commercially for at least 140 days in the current or previous 12-month period.
2) It must be actually let commercially for at least 70 days in the previous 12-month period.
3) You must intend to keep it available for letting for at least 140 days in the upcoming 12-month period.
At this point you can apply to the Valuation Office Agency / VOA to switch to business rates, and potentially Small Business Rate Relief.

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