Airbnb Management London

Managing Airbnb properties involves key steps to ensure a successful operation.

First, create a standout listing using high-quality photos, virtual tours and competitive pricing tailored to the London market.

Second, handle guest communication and inquiries promptly, manage check-ins and checkouts and maintain the property between bookings to meet high expectations.

Third, stay compliant with local regulations, including 90-day short-let rule in London boroughs.

Fourth, monitor reviews, performance and financials to know how to optimise occupancy and revenue.

The best way to manage Airbnb properties in London is to partner with a reputable property management company like City Relay. We’ll help you to optimise your Airbnb property’s income potential and maximise occupancy rates.

Start by checking local regulations, especially short-let restrictions in your borough (e.g. 90-day rule).

Then improve the interior design and use smart technology and energy-efficient appliances to meet the local sustainability standards and attract eco-conscious guests.

Once the property is ready, create an attractive listing on Airbnb. Use high-quality photos, videos and accurate descriptions. Then set a smart pricing strategy that depends on seasonal trends in London.

Provide excellent service to improve the guest experience and accumulate positive reviews.

For a hassle-free experience, work with a property management company like City Relay to manage and maintain your property. Enjoy end-to-end property management services that include guest communications, cleaning and maintenance and other Airbnb hosting tasks.

As an experienced Airbnb management company in London, City Relay developed an onboarding checklist that ensures your property meets the market’s expectations and provides a 5-star guest experience. Our property standards include:

• Stylish, functional interiors and a clean, hotel-quality setup
• A full amenities package that includes fresh linens and eco-friendly toiletries
• Updated certificates: EICR, EPC, Gas Safety and Fire Risk Assessment

We can help bring your property up to standard if anything is missing. Let’s elevate your property and make it compliant and competitive in the London short-let market.

No minimum or maximum number of properties is required to be a City Relay partner. As long as the property is available for a minimum of 6 months, is not used as a primary residence and is free of personal items, it can be converted into an Airbnb property in London.

We have a minimum contract length for new partners, which can be negotiated prior to the final contract. If you wish to terminate your partnership with us, we only ask that you at least honour existing guest bookings on your London property before doing so.

We understand that every property owner has a unique set of goals for their property. City Relay is flexible enough to customise contracts. Get in touch with us so we can discuss your specific property management requirements.

We manage Airbnb properties across Zones 1-3 of London. This includes key areas like Clapham, Lambeth, Notting Hill, Westminster, Kensington, Camden, Acton, Chelsea, etc. As our presence grows, we continue to expand into more boroughs, even internationally in Paris.

Your property in London will be listed on booking platforms with a global reach. This includes Airbnb, Booking.com, HomeAway, and Expedia. We can also advertise your property for longer lets through Rightmove and Zoopla.

We also have our own booking platform on the City Relay website. We’ll promote your property in multiple channels (social media and email) and our database of more than 20,000 previous City Relay guests.

Flexible letting is City Relay’s unique strategy to optimise your property’s rental income by switching between short-term lets (up to 90 days per year), mid-term lets (3 to 6 months) and long-term lets (6+ months).

We use data and technology to determine the best letting strategy at any given time. Our smart proprietary platform, Opago, allows us to stay on top of different letting methods. It enables us to manage bookings that comply with property rules (e.g. 90-day limit) while maximising the income potential of your property.

City Relay partners are assigned a dedicated Account Manager to serve as the direct point of contact. Although they will take charge of your property’s management, you can stay on top of your London property’s performance. You will also get access to the Opago platform, where you can view the booking calendar in real-time, monitor monthly income and expenses, track maintenance activity and receive performance updates.

All this information will allow you to make decisions to improve and increase your property’s income potential.

Payments are processed depending on the letting strategy used.

Shortlet payments are consolidated on a monthly basis. Earnings are transferred within the first 14 working days of the next month. 

Midlet and longlet payments are processed within 7 days of receiving rent from the tenants.

Payment processing periods are exclusive of weekends and holidays.

If you have questions, get in touch with your Account Manager and our finance team.

You’ll need to take a landlord insurance for your Airbnb property in London.

For shortlets, we recommend our partner, Guardhog. They specialise in providing shortlet insurance.

For longlets, complete a thorough tenant referencing and choose an insurance that covers rent protection and legal expenses. We have partners we can recommend should you need one.

AST is short for Assured Shorthold Tenancy. It’s the most common type of tenancy for private landlords or letting agents. This is a written agreement between the landlord and resident that details the terms and conditions of the tenancy – from rental price to maintenance responsibilities.

This applies to residents who are individuals (not a business) and should have a rental fee that doesn’t exceed £100,000 a year.

The tenancy agreement covers a fixed period wherein the landlord has every right to take the property back for as long as the resident is given at least 2 months’ notice to vacate the premises.

Know more about AST here.

Property viewings are part of City Relay’s property management services. Whether it’s to help tenants or potential buyers view your property, our in-house team of experts is quick to manage tenant inquiries and viewings, 7 days a week. This also includes prompt answers to inquiries via platforms like Rightmove and Zoopla.

Our professional team is trained to showcase your property’s best features and answer queries confidently and accurately. This helps secure the right residents willing to pay optimal rental rates.

All London Airbnb properties are required to provide a safe place for residents and guests to stay. Among the safety checks and compliance requirements are: Electrical Safety Test, Gas Safety Test, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations Compliance, Energy Performance Certificate, Fire Risk Assessment, etc.

City Relay will ensure your property meets the high standards of rental properties in London. It allows us to maintain our reputation and ensure high occupancy rates. If you need assistance in monitoring and ensuring compliance, get in touch with our team. We’ll help you navigate the ever-changing regulations in the private rental sector in London.

Yes. We follow a thorough reference check for all tenants or guests. This includes credit, identity and social media checks. We use platform data to vet shortlet guests and collect security deposits where applicable. We also handle maintenance claims for damages beyond normal wear and tear.

Our comprehensive vetting and referencing process allows us to find the right individual who’ll take care of the property during their stay. It ensures peace of mind and protects your rental income.

Under the Greater London planning rules, entire properties can only be shortlet for up to 90 nights per calendar year. Platforms like Airbnb strictly enforce these rules by closing booking calendars after the property has been booked for 90 days.

If you want to book longer than 90 nights, you need to apply for planning permission. Or you can partner with City Relay so we can use flexible letting to maximise your rental income. We’ll switch to mid- or long-term letting once you reach the 90-day limit.

With an average of 30 million visitors each year, London is one of the most profitable Airbnb locations in the UK. Airbnb property owners can earn more than £100 daily.

City Relay has a trustworthy reputation and positive reviews to attract guests to book a stay. As a City Relay partner, we’ll turn your London property into a high-performing shortlet investment.

Learn how we optimise the yields of Airbnb properties.

City Relay charges 20% + VAT per booking for short-term letting management. This covers marketing and listing optimisation, guest communication, personalised check-ins, 24/7 guest support and in-house cleaning and maintenance.

It also gives you access to Opago, our property management platform, where you get complete visibility of your property’s calendar, performance and booking information.

We at City Relay have an in-house housekeeping team. After each guest checks out, your property is professionally cleaned, restocked with eco-friendly amenities and refreshed with clean towels and linens.

This ensures a consistent 5-star experience for your guests.

Airbnb typically charge hosts a 3% commission under the split-fee model. There’s also an option to use a host-only fee, which deducts 14% to 16% from the payout.

VAT is added on top of these fees. Your Account Manager will guide you through the most cost-effective option for your property.

Typical Airbnb management companies like City Relay follow a 10% to 20% commission scheme. The pricing will depend on factors like property location, services required, size and condition. Sometimes, additional fees are added for the initial setup or services like deep cleaning, etc.

City Relay offers transparent and value-driven pricing with no hidden fees.

Yes, it’s a common practice in London for property owners to enlist the services of a property management company like City Relay.

Among the services provided are professional listing, pricing strategy, 24/7 guest communication, vetting, housekeeping and maintenance and compliance support. With City Relay, you’ll also get access to our tech platform, Opago, where you get full transparency and real-time information about your property’s performance.

City Relay offers peace of mind, higher returns and zero hassle of hosting.

Managing an Airbnb in London comes with several costs. This includes furnishing the property, marketing the listing, professional cleaning, routine maintenance and covering utility bills. Guest services like 24/7 support, check-ins and other add-on offers will also incur costs.

Emergency expenses on repairs or appliance replacements can also add to the cost. This is why it’s crucial to have a system to track and manage expenses.

City Relay uses a smart platform to track and manage all Airbnb management costs to help maximise rental income and profitability.

Running an Airbnb in London can be time-intensive, especially if you manage more than one property. You need to promptly respond to guest inquiries, manage bookings, adjust pricing strategies based on market trends and coordinate check-ins and check-outs as well as housekeeping and maintenance between bookings.

It can easily become a full-time commitment.

This is why outsourcing to property management companies like City Relay can help. We can ensure seamless operations and a quality guest experience. Our expertise will leave you with a stress-free hosting experience so you can focus on maximising your rental income.

Find out more about what we can do for you here.