Share
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all trends point towards UK tourists planning to stay within the country for holidays in the near future. This, coupled with London visitors choosing a safe and clean Airbnb home over a hotel more than ever before, means that now is a great time to consider offering your home up for Airbnb short letting.
Taking the plunge into short-letting can feel like a stressful task. So, we at City Relay have put together some information to help you better understand how to stand out in this growing and competitive London market and take advantage of the high demand from domestic and foreign travellers.
Here are a couple of our top tips to prepare your home for guests:
1. QUALITY, QUALITY, QUALITY
With the industry being highly competitive, your property must stand out from the rest. To start, your property needs to be well-kept, clean and maintained properly. Invest in styling the property, including artwork, soft furnishings, cushions, linens and towels. Your property should look like it’s a comfortable and stylish ‘home-away-from-home’ and if you get this right, you’ll be in greater demand and able to achieve higher nightly rates too.
2. SHOWCASE YOUR PROPERTY
Showcase your property effectively with a comprehensive listing on booking portals. Invest in good photography, and be specific and clear in your listing details to ensure everything goes smoothly when guests arrive. When guests are travelling to a new place or country, they are especially likely to be security conscious and in this coronavirus world, highly concerned about cleanliness and COVID safety. Make sure you highlight the extra steps you are taking to be safe in your property during this time.
Make sure your listing shows off the area around your property, giving details on tourist attractions or things to do locally. Restaurant and activity recommendations are always welcome!
3. MAKE YOUR GUESTS FEEL WELCOME
A good host takes time to get to know their guests, all the way from first enquiry, until they turn up at your door. Take the time to engage with your guests, answering all their questions about their stay, including recommendations for what to do in the city, transport links and coronavirus safety questions.
Guests typically will want to meet their hosts personally, so ensure you liaise with your guests on their arrival time, and greet them for a personal ‘socially distanced’ check-in.
4. BE ON HAND 24/7
It’s important that guests can contact you at any time – day or night – with any questions or concerns; from maintenance to emergencies. It may be a good idea to have key tradespeople on speed dial, just in case. If you are away or unavailable, make sure you let your guest know an alternative person they can contact.
So, short letting is a great way to make some additional income, especially in today’s competitive and growing market. But often, short letting can be stressful to hosts, with a growing and relentless to-do list – everything from photography, listing, bookings, guest enquiries, personal check-ins, housekeeping, cleaning and maintenance.
This is where City Relay can help. We are proud to be London’s most trusted property management agency, offering an all-in-one service to our hosts. Find out more about our services or complete our rent estimation tool, to find out how much you could be earning.
