Airbnb has become one of the most widespread ways for people to let out space in their homes or investment properties. Globally, there are over 7.7 million active listings and more than 5 million hosts on the platform, with millions of stays booked every year.
In the UK alone, the short-term let market including Airbnb, Booking.com and other platforms saw 90.1 million guest nights spent in 2024.
When renting out your own Airbnb property, you are dealing with strangers and you need to be prepared for any eventuality. From bad tenants, messy guests, damages and people that won’t leave, it is important to know what rights and protection you have.
Full-time hosting or as a hobby
When you start renting a property on Airbnb you need to decide whether you are doing it as a business or just occasionally letting out a room.
Some hosts make it their full-time business, managing multiple properties and relying on the income to support themselves or to run a property company.
Others treat Airbnb as a hobby or a way to earn a bit of extra money by letting out a spare room or a property they only use part of the year.
How you choose to host can affect your legal obligations, including tax, planning and housing rules. Full-time hosting usually means you must think of yourself more like a small business owner and comply with a wider set of rules, whereas occasional hosting might mean fewer formal requirements — but you still need to follow basic legal duties as a host.
Your legal responsibilities as a host
If you rent out through Airbnb you have legal responsibilities to your guests, and these exist whether you host full-time or part-time.
Under Airbnb’s terms, hosts are responsible for their own actions and the actions of their guests, including keeping the property in good condition and complying with laws.
In the UK, this can include ensuring the property meets safety standards, having the correct insurance, and following rules on things like energy performance certificates and planning permission. You also have to comply with consumer protection law, meaning you must not mislead guests and must provide what you promise in your listing. If you feel this is a lot to handle as a hobby, you can use professional Airbnb management companies to help you with this.
If your service is poor — for example if the property is not clean, facilities are not as described, or you do not respond to guest complaints — guests can leave negative reviews and may ask for refunds through Airbnb. While Airbnb handles most guest disputes, a pattern of poor service can harm your reputation and reduce future bookings. In serious cases where you consistently fail to provide what you promised, Airbnb may suspend or remove your listing.
What do you do with problem guests from Airbnb?
Bad experiences with guests do happen, even when you have house rules. If guests damage your property or leave an enormous mess, you can usually request money through Airbnb’s damage resolution process.
Airbnb offers a “Host Protection” programme that can cover certain damages beyond what the guest pays, but you often need to start with a claim against the guest first under Airbnb’s terms. However, some hosts report that the dispute process can be slow or frustrating, with decisions not always going in the host’s favour.
If a guest refuses to leave at the end of a booking, unlawful activity takes place, or a guest behaves dangerously, you may need to involve the police or local authorities to remove them. Hosting agreements and Airbnb’s terms do not give you the right to forcibly evict someone yourself. If you cannot get rid of a problematic guest, calling the police is often necessary, especially if there is a safety risk.
In cases where a guest leaves a mess, many hosts expect compensation for extra cleaning or repairs. You can request this through Airbnb’s resolution centre, but some hosts find that payments are slow or unsuccessful. If the damage is severe and the guest refuses to pay, you may have to claim under your own insurance or pursue the matter through a small claims court. That said, Airbnb’s protections do give most hosts at least some backing when things go wrong.
You must also think about illegal activity. If a guest uses your property for something illegal — for example dealing drugs, hosting an unauthorised party, or worse — you could theoretically face trouble if you knew about it and did nothing. Being vigilant, clear in your house rules, and ready to contact the police if something serious is happening is vital.
What happens if you break the law as an Airbnb host?
Hosts must follow local housing laws, planning rules, and safety regulations. Some cities limit short-term lets or require licences, and failing to follow these rules can lead to fines or even removal from the platform.
In parts of Europe, authorities have fined listings or required large numbers of them to close for lacking proper licences, showing how seriously regulators are treating short-term rentals. In the UK specifically, you must also consider things like tax on your earnings and any rules from your local council about short-term lets.
Ultimately, hosting on Airbnb can be rewarding, but it comes with legal responsibilities. Understanding your rights and obligations before you start — and knowing what to do when things go wrong — will help you protect yourself and your guests.
