Short-term letting in Nottingham and Lincoln

Two cities, two kinds of visitor

Nottingham is a large student and business city with a lively centre, Test cricket at Trent Bridge, a busy concert and sports calendar and Sherwood Forest on its doorstep. Its guests are often parents, contractors, event-goers and people visiting the universities or the hospitals. Lincoln is smaller and more leisure-driven: the cathedral and castle on the hill, the steep streets of the old town and a university that has grown the city's weekday demand. The wider Lincolnshire area adds the coast at Skegness and Mablethorpe and the quiet of the Wolds.

What the rules require

No licence or register applies to short lets in either county at present. The government stated on 3 September 2026 that England's national register should be fully operational by March 2027. Nottingham's Article 4 direction requires planning permission to turn a family home into a small house in multiple occupation, and the council says such permission is unlikely; that rule targets shared housing, not holiday lets. For short lets, Nottingham City Council and the Lincolnshire districts apply the usual test of whether the use of the dwelling has materially changed. England has not adopted the separate use class for short lets that it consulted on.

Council tax and rates

Councils in England can charge a premium of up to 100% on second homes since April 2025, and City of Lincoln, Nottingham and the Lincolnshire coastal districts each set their own level. If the property is available for at least 140 nights and let for 70 within a year, it can move to business rates. Keep booking records: the Valuation Office Agency can ask for evidence.

Practical advice

• If you are buying a former HMO in Nottingham, check its planning status before changing its use.
• In city-centre flats, confirm the lease allows short stays and that the building accepts key boxes.
• Price around graduations, test matches and major events, not just weekends.
• On the Lincolnshire coast, plan for a short high season and a quiet winter.

Tell us about the property: we study every request and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.

Fairs, ice and aviation heritage

Nottingham has events that visitors travel for. Goose Fair, one of the oldest travelling fairs in the country, fills the Forest Recreation Ground every October. The Motorpoint Arena and the National Ice Centre host concerts and ice hockey, while the City Ground on the Trent brings Nottingham Forest fans. Wollaton Hall and its deer park, Newstead Abbey and the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont give leisure guests reasons to stay beyond a match. The Queen's Medical Centre is one of the largest hospitals in England, which means families on longer stays.

Lincolnshire's identity is tied to the RAF. The International Bomber Command Centre overlooks Lincoln, RAF Waddington lies just south of the city, and RAF Cranwell's college near Sleaford brings visiting families for graduation parades. Aviation enthusiasts are a steady niche. Lincoln Castle holds an original Magna Carta, and Steep Hill links the upper and lower towns. Southwell Minster and Clumber Park complete the picture across the border in Nottinghamshire.

What to do with that

• In Lincoln's uphill quarter, parking is the constant complaint; secure a permit or give very clear alternatives.
• For Goose Fair week, set pricing and minimum stays in advance.
• Homes near the QMC suit monthly stays for medical staff and patients' families.