Airbnb Hosting in London: All You Need to Know to Be a Superhost

Getting the Basics Right (Before Your First Booking)

The Legal Bits (Don't Skip These)

London has specific rules for short-term lets. You can rent your property for up to 90 nights per calendar year without planning permission. Go over that, and you need to apply for change of use. Airbnb actually tracks this for you and caps your bookings automatically once you hit the limit.

You also need to check your lease if you're in a flat—many prohibit short-term lets. It's boring paperwork, but getting it wrong can cost you dearly.

Setting Up Your Space

Here's where most new hosts go wrong: they focus on aesthetics before functionality. Yes, that velvet sofa looks stunning in photos, but if your Wi-Fi doesn't work or guests can't figure out how to get in, those pretty pictures won't save your review score.

The First Impression: Why Cleanliness Is Everything

Here's something we've learned from cleaning hundreds of Airbnbs across London: guests make up their minds about your property in the first 30 seconds. Before they've tested the Wi-Fi, before they've opened the fridge, they're taking in the smell, the visual impression, and how the space *feels*.

A dirty bathroom, a smudge on the mirror, crumbs in the cutlery drawer—these things register subconsciously. The guest might not mention them in the review, but they'll mark you down on cleanliness. And cleanliness is one of the four metrics that determines Superhost status.

But here's the thing: guests don't just want "clean." They want *hotel-clean*. They want to feel like they're the first person to ever use that shower. They want to smell freshness, not bleach. They want to walk in and immediately relax because everything is exactly as it should be.

The Cleanliness Checklist (Use This Every Time)

The Personal Touch That Gets You Five Stars

Any hotel can offer a clean room. What makes Airbnb special is the personal connection. Guests choose Airbnb because they want to feel like a local, not a tourist. Small, thoughtful touches make the difference between a four-star and a five-star review.

The welcome treat: It doesn't need to be expensive. A small box of Propercorn, some English breakfast tea bags, a few biscuits in a jar. One host we work with leaves a handwritten note with a packet of Percy Pigs from Marks & Spencer—costs £1, gets mentioned in reviews constantly.

The greeting: If you can, meet your first few guests in person. Show them how the heating works, where the fuse box is, recommend your favourite local coffee spot. If you can't be there (and most experienced hosts can't for every booking), leave clear written instructions or a printed guide that covers the essentials. First impressions matter, and a warm welcome goes a long way.

The local guide: This is where you can really stand out. Create a simple one-page list of your personal recommendations—guests absolutely love these. Include the café that does the best coffee within two minutes walk, the pub that serves food until late, the nearest pharmacy and supermarket with their opening hours, your favourite takeaway for when they don't want to go out, and any local gems most tourists miss. Don't just print the same old tourist list. Tell them about the cash-only café down the road that does the best fry-up. The park that's lovely but gets muddy after rain. The tube station that looks closer on the map but is actually up a steep hill. Real, useful advice from someone who actually lives there.

When Things Go Wrong (And They Will)

Even with the best preparation, stuff happens. The boiler breaks. The neighbour decides to have a party. A guest spills red wine on your cream carpet. How you handle these moments defines your reputation.

Have a network ready: Build relationships with a local handyman, a plumber, and a cleaner who can do emergency call-outs. If you're hosting in London but live elsewhere, you need people on the ground who can sort problems within hours, not days. Also have a plan for common issues—know how to re-pressurise your boiler if the hot water goes out, and write down the steps so guests can follow them if it happens. A five-minute fix that guests can do themselves saves everyone a lot of hassle.

Respond quickly: Airbnb tracks your response time, and guests hate waiting. Even if you can't fix the problem immediately, acknowledge it quickly. "I'm so sorry about the heating—I'm calling an engineer now and will update you within the hour" is infinitely better than radio silence.

Know when to refund: Sometimes it's cheaper to refund a night than get a bad review that affects your bookings for months. If something genuinely ruins their stay (no hot water for 24 hours, for example), offer partial compensation before they ask. It shows good faith.

The Secret to Superhost Status

The rating is the tricky one. You can't control guests who mark you down because the Tube was noisy or it rained on their holiday. But you *can* control cleanliness, communication, and accuracy.

Be honest in your listing: If your flat is above a pub, say so. If the bathroom is small, mention it. If it's a fourth-floor walk-up, point that out. Guests don't mind quirks—they mind surprises.

Photograph accurately: That wide-angle lens makes your living room look huge, but when guests arrive and find a cosy space, they feel misled. Better to under-promise and over-deliver.

Communicate proactively: Send check-in instructions three days before arrival, then a reminder the day before. Ask if they have any questions. Check in mid-stay (via message) to see if everything's okay. These touchpoints prevent small issues from becoming big complaints.

The Reality of Turnovers

Here's the practical bit that most guides gloss over: if you're doing Airbnb properly, you'll have guests checking out at 10 AM and new ones arriving at 3 PM or 4 PM. That's your window to clean, restock, check for damage, and reset the entire flat.

If you're a full-time host with multiple properties, this is nearly impossible to do yourself consistently. And consistency is what gets you Superhost status.

This is where a reliable cleaning partner becomes essential—not a "we'll come when we can" service, but someone who understands Airbnb, works to your guest calendar, and treats every turnover as a priority. In London's competitive market, guests expect hotel standards. The hosts who achieve Superhost status reliably are the ones who've systemsed their turnovers so that every guest walks into the same pristine experience, regardless of how busy the host is.

At Let Cleanness Be, we work with Airbnb hosts across London—from single flats in Shoreditch to portfolios of properties in Kensington and Chelsea. We understand that your check-out and check-in times aren't flexible. Our cleaners work to your guest calendar, not the other way around. We photograph every room after cleaning so you can see it's ready. And we charge a fair rate because we know margins matter when you're building a hosting business.

If you're serious about becoming a Superhost and you're tired of coordinating cleaners who don't show up or don't clean to the standard your guests expect, get in touch. We'll give you a fixed cleaner who learns your property and works to your calendar.

Becoming a Superhost in London isn't about being perfect—it's about being consistently good, genuinely caring about your guests' experience, and having systems that prevent small issues from becoming big problems. Start with cleanliness, add personal touches, communicate proactively, and build a network of reliable people who can help when you're busy. Do those things, and the Superhost badge will follow naturally.