Holiday letting in Devon

Devon is two holiday regions in one. The north coast, around Croyde, Woolacombe, Ilfracombe and Clovelly, is surf and family territory. The south coast offers sailing towns and estuaries, Salcombe, Dartmouth and the English Riviera around Torbay, plus the Jurassic Coast at Sidmouth and Beer. Dartmoor and Exmoor add walkers and riders, and Exeter brings year-round city demand. Owners can target very different guests depending on where they buy.

Rules at a glance

• Licence: none in England today.
• Register: the government has said a national register should be fully operational by March 2027.
• Nights: no annual cap outside London.
• Planning: judged locally. Inside Dartmoor and Exmoor, the national park authority is the planning authority; elsewhere it is the district or unitary council.

In estuary towns where holiday homes are numerous, councils and residents watch the issue closely, and older properties may carry planning conditions, holiday-only or local occupancy, that decide what you can do. Ask for the planning history before you commit.

The cost of an empty week

Several Devon councils, such as North Devon and South Hams, have charged a 100% premium on second homes since 1 April 2025, so a furnished property with no resident pays double council tax. Qualify for business rates instead, by making the property available for 140 nights and letting it for at least 70 in a 12-month period, and the premium no longer applies. The furnished holiday lettings regime disappeared in April 2025; profits are now taxed as standard property income.

How we would think about a Devon let

On the coasts, summer takes care of itself; the work is in March to June and September to November, when walkers, food lovers and couples are the market. On the moors, dog-friendly and boot-friendly homes do best. Wherever you are, a reliable team for changeovers is what protects reviews in high season. Tell us about your Devon property; we study every request and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.

Trails, islands, the navy and the ranges

Some of Devon's most loyal guests come for trails rather than beaches. The Tarka Trail follows old railway lines around Barnstaple, Bideford and Great Torrington; the Two Moors Way crosses from Dartmoor to Exmoor. From Bideford or Ilfracombe, the supply ship to Lundy carries day visitors and those staying on the island, who often need a night on the mainland before sailing.

Plymouth, Devon's largest city, brings a different guest: naval and dockyard contractors at Devonport, visitors to the Barbican and the Mayflower Steps, and families attending passing-out ceremonies. Dartmouth has its own naval college and a Royal Regatta at the end of August. Exeter adds the Met Office, the university and Exeter Chiefs rugby at Sandy Park.

• South Hams: Totnes, Bigbury-on-Sea and Burgh Island attract couples and food lovers looking for something quieter than Salcombe.
• Agatha Christie fans visit Greenway, her holiday home on the Dart.
• Ten Tors, the youth expedition on Dartmoor in May, brings families to the moor for a weekend.

Two cautions: the northern part of Dartmoor includes military firing ranges, closed when live firing is scheduled, so walkers must check the published times. And in estuary towns, steep lanes and limited parking can frustrate guests arriving with a car full of luggage; describe access precisely.