Airbnb is launching its long-term rental marketplace to the UK, allowing tenants to sublet their homes on a part-time basis, the Financial Times (FT) has reported. 

The initiative, designed to address concerns over the platform’s impact on housing shortages and rising prices, will debut in London across nearly 1,500 flats in three properties owned by Greystar.

According to the FT, Airbnb is actively discussing with other landlords to extend the scheme to other areas in the UK.

The company debuted the scheme in 2022, when it initially partnered with 250 buildings in US cities such as Houston, Phoenix, Jacksonville and New York City to enable renters to lease out their apartments on a part-time basis through the platform.

The programme connects renters with landlords willing to allow hosting under specific conditions, such as limits on rental days and agreements to share 10–25% of the hosting revenue with the landlord. 

Jesse Stein, Airbnb’s global head of real estate, highlighted the difficulty many tenants face with traditional tenancy agreements that ban subletting, adding that this programme gives renters new options while ensuring homes remain primarily residential.

The move comes as Airbnb faces criticism for its role in housing affordability issues. The programme also aims to provide financial relief for renters amid the UK’s cost-of-living crisis.