What began as casual couch surfing in the 1990s is now a global phenomenon that has changed the way people travel. Airbnb continues to dominate the home sharing sector, with property owners around the world opening up their homes to travellers seeking experiences with a local and authentic flavour.
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For hosts – and particularly the growing number who operate multiple Airbnb properties – the challenges of managing the process of letting out their homes can be extremely time consuming. To deal with this, a large number of Airbnb management companies have emerged offering to take this problem off of their hands, promising to deal with everything from bookings to meet-and-greets to cleaning and maintenance.
If you’re thinking of becoming a London Airbnb host, or are already one, we’ve done the research so you don’t have to and come up with our selection of five of the best Airbnb management companies currently operating in the capital.
Enjoying an enviable Trustpilot score, City Relay provide a comprehensive management service for every aspect of short lets. Unlike most of their industry counterparts, City Relay’s entire team is in-house, helping ensure a consistency of service so both hosts and guests know what they’re going to get each time. They also place a strong focus on offering services with a personal and local touch, and have set up high street Reception Spaces that acts as a kind of concierge service for anything from check-in and advice on local attractions to guidance for homeowners who are looking to short let their home. Furthermore, an internally developed pricing tool and specialist revenue team help maximise earnings for hosts.
One of Europe’s leading Airbnb management companies, the team behind GuestReady call upon their 50-plus years of experience in the fields of hospitality, finance and even rocket science to offer premium Airbnb management services. The company is focused on helping landlords turn their investments into profitable income by using technology to bring the tradition of hospitality to the short-let market. They take charge of everything, from the initial listing of your property through to check in, maintenance, concierge, housekeeping and check out, providing guests with an experience akin to a high-end hotel. Hosts can also keep track of everything from guest bookings to revenue via a dedicated dashboard.
One of the fastest growing PropTech companies, SMARTHOST is an end-to-end property management platform that connects homeowners to marketplaces such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Rightmove and many more. Clients are able to track their bookings, receive live updates and monitor their earnings, and there’s also the opportunity for homeowners to become shareholders in the company when they join. All processes are contactless and hassle free.
Founded in 2016, Air Blue Lets help London property owners in zones 1 and 2 unlock the full potential of their homes while they’re away. Through dedicated management services, they allow guests to enjoy all the perks of a hotel, from fresh linen to 24/7 support. Property owners simply let them know of the homes’ availability and they do the rest, including photography, listing, guest communications, in person check-in, and cleaning. They also work with estate agents who have clients looking to short-let their property during a sale or in between a tenancy.
Established back in 2013, HelloGuest have rapidly gained popularity for their short-let management and guest hosting services delivered in London and in cities dotted around the United Kingdom. Providing a personalised management service tailored to the requirements of each individual property owner, the company pledges to optimise your home’s earning potential by ensuring it is occupied for as much of the time as possible. They offer a whole menu of services, ranging from meet and greets and liaising with guests to creating your property listing and overseeing your bookings online. HelloGuest can also arrange consultations with interior design experts who will help property owners form a creative vision for their home.
