Rent a room relief on AirBnB income for whole property rentals

gaffermatt

Hi all, can anyone advise if I am eligible for rent a room relief scheme please? I have rented out my whole 1 bedroom property which is my main residence on AirBnB for several shortish periods (max around 2 weeks a time) up to a maximum of 90 days in a tax year, and earning no more than £7,500 a year, which is the limit. 

I always had thought I was eligible for the rent a room scheme - there is a page on MSE which suggests this and have seen it elsewhere too. However, I've also seen other seemingly knowledgable websites and spoken to some accountants who don't seem so sure that it's eligible. 

Any advice on this would be appreciated. Thank you in advance. 

anniecave

Rent a room relief is only possible when you are renting part of the property and you are living there at the same time.  So if it is a 1 bedroom and you are renting it all, then that doesn't count. 

Take a look at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rent-a-room-for-traders-hs223-self-assessment-helpsheet/hs223-rent-a-room-scheme-2024 

FlorayG

Absolutely not. The clue is in the name - rent a ROOM. You have to be living in the property and sharing facilities such as kitchen to get rent a room relief. Letting it as an AirBnB is a business transaction and is self-employed income

caprikid1

Is this a shared ownership property ?

"No, Airbnb or other short-term rentals are not permitted in shared ownership properties. This is because shared ownership homes are built with government funding, and the scheme is intended to help people into homeownership. "

housebuyer143

gaffermatt said:

Hi all, can anyone advise if I am eligible for rent a room relief scheme please? I have rented out my whole 1 bedroom property which is my main residence on AirBnB for several shortish periods (max around 2 weeks a time) up to a maximum of 90 days in a tax year, and earning no more than £7,500 a year, which is the limit. 

I always had thought I was eligible for the rent a room scheme - there is a page on MSE which suggests this and have seen it elsewhere too. However, I've also seen other seemingly knowledgable websites and spoken to some accountants who don't seem so sure that it's eligible. 

Any advice on this would be appreciated. Thank you in advance. 

Sounds like you read the article and made it fit? Air BnB can be used under the rent a room scheme, if you rent a room. 
Renting your entire flatis a holiday let. You might have to check your mortgage and insurance allows this. 

Bookworm105

AirBnB comes under Furnished Holiday Let (FHL) tax rules, not rent a room rules IF you are not resident in the property for the duration of the let