Working with the best Airbnb management companies in London is the key to maximising your property’s earning potential. As London continues to be one of the top travel destinations in the world, you can always expect a huge demand for short-term accommodations.

Having an Airbnb property means you can tap into this demand to increase your rental income. However, managing short-term rentals is different from long-term tenancies. You need a reliable housekeeping and maintenance service to prepare the property for the next guest. You also need to keep up with multiple guest communications, ensure legal compliance and implement dynamic pricing strategies. Managing short-term lets requires time, expertise and technology. If you want to maximise the booking and earning potential of your property, you need to get the help of an Airbnb management company.

In this article, you’ll discover the 5 best Airbnb management companies in London. We’ll walk you through their services so you can compare and choose the right partner to help you reach your goals.

Why Work with the Best Airbnb Management Companies?

When you work with the best Airbnb management companies in London, you don’t just hand over the keys to them. You also get access to a team that knows how to operate like they’re in the hospitality business. From listing your property in major letting platforms and setting dynamic pricing to vetting guests and maintaining your property, everything will be handled to a high standard.

Here are the different benefits of working with an Airbnb property expert.

• Higher rental income. These experts utilise dynamic pricing strategies and real-time market data to establish competitive rates that enhance revenue.
• Better occupancy rates. Through their extensive experience, they can implement expert marketing and listing strategies to improve your property’s visibility and bookings.
• Stress-free hosting. No need to worry about guest communications, cleaning and maintenance, 24/7 support and other property management tasks. These will be handled by the company on your behalf.
• 100% compliance. Stay updated on local rules and regulations so you can stay compliant. The Airbnb management company will make sure your property stays compliant with the changing rules.
• Elevated guest experience. With professional cleaning and maintenance services, guests will arrive at a pristine home. This leads to better reviews and more bookings.

Working with an experienced management company means you’ll enjoy peace of mind and consistent rental returns.

5 Best Airbnb Management Companies in London

Before you check out the 5 best Airbnb management companies in London, you need to ask yourself two questions:

• What do you need out of a property management company? 
• What type of letting services will help you get the most value out of your property?

Answering these questions will help you identify the qualities and services you’ll need from an Airbnb management company. Apart from that, you should also look into their fee structure, guest vetting process, marketing initiatives, customer service, etc.

Housekeeping and maintenance are important in short-term rentals. Does the company outsource this, or do they have it in-house? Make sure you ask them about how they send reports or remit rental earnings as well. Do they have a platform you can use to access real-time reports so you can see your property’s performance?

These are important considerations when you’re trying to choose a property management company that can help you reach your goals.

Having mentioned that, here are the 5 best Airbnb management companies in London right now.

Houst

Houst started in 2015 and has since managed around 250,000 bookings in 5 different continents. As a global property management company, they have refined and improved their services to meet the various needs of international property owners. According to their reports, they can help shortlets earn 56% more than traditional ASTs.

• Services offered: Listing management (multi-platform listing, professional photography, price optimisation), Guest management (guest vetting, communications, amenities, toiletries, check-ins and 24/7 support), Property management (cleaning and housekeeping, maintenance, insurance)
• Commission rate: Starting at 12%
• Letting strategy: Blend of short-term and long-term letting
• Technology: Online dashboard and mobile app that shows real-time booking and income information
• Trustpilot rating: 4.7

Smarthost

Smarthost began managing rental properties in 2016. Since then, they’ve managed more than 215,000 stays and maintained a high 4.7 rating on Trustpilot. They offer services and letting strategies that will help property owners increase their rental income by 40% (compared to long-term letting).

• Services offered: Online management (multi-platform listing, price optimisation, professional photography), Guest management (guest vetting, check-in, communication, amenities, toiletries), Property management (cleaning, housekeeping, maintenance, insurance)
• Commission rate: 15%
• Letting strategy: Blend of short-term, mid-term and long-term letting
• Technology: SmartHost property dashboard that provides records of bookings, guest information, rental earnings and other property performance data
• Trustpilot rating: 4.7

GuestReady

GuestReady is an award-winning company that started in London back in 2016. They have since grown to become a global company catering to homeowners as a hospitality service provider. They use a combination of quality service, smart technology and local expertise to boost occupancy rates, elevate guest satisfaction and increase rental income (by up to 60%).

• Services offered: Guest management (guest check-in/check-out, communication, amenities, toiletries, key exchange, local guide), Property management (professional photography, housekeeping and maintenance, multi-platform listing, price optimisation)
• Commission rate: Starting at 12%
• Letting strategy: Blend of short-term and mid-term letting
• Technology: Online dashboard and mobile app used to monitor property performance metrics (e.g. income, bookings, etc.)
• Trustpilot rating: 4.7

Pass the Keys

Pass the Keys started operations in 2015 as a short-let property management company. Currently, they have managed close to 2,000 rental properties and over 500,000 nightly bookings. They have local managers who manage and market properties to increase occupancy rates.

• Services offered: Property management (cleaning and laundry, photos after cleaning, maintenance, Client portal), Guest management (guest vetting, verification, 24/7 support, digital welcome guide), Listing management (account manager, professional photography, multi-platform listing, price and occupancy optimisation)
• Commission rate: Not publicly specified
• Letting strategy: Blend of short-term, mid-term and long-term letting
• Technology: Client portal (with mobile app) that shows bookings, rental income, property performance and guest feedback data
• Trustpilot rating: 4.8

City Relay

City Relay is a London-based property management company that started in 2015. The company has grown since then to extend their services to property owners in the city of Paris. They are known for their personalised support system through dedicated account managers and in-house cleaning and maintenance teams that ensure properties are always in premium condition. They’ve also successfully managed 2,000+ properties, 500,000+ nightly bookings and maintained a 4.7 Trustpilot rating and 80% occupancy rate.

• Services offered: Listing management (account manager, homestaging, professional photography, multi-platform listing, price optimisation), Property management (in-house cleaning and maintenance, compliance assistance, 24/7 support, flexible booking calendar, Opago app), Guest management (personalised check-in, key exchange, guest communication and vetting, sustainable toiletries and amenities)
• Commission rate: Starts at 12% +VAT per booking (can go as low as 9.5% +VAT)
• Letting strategy: Flexible letting (short-term, mid-term and long-term letting)
• Technology: Opago app (monitor property performance in real-time, track housekeeping and maintenance schedules and fees, access booking calendar, download updated reports)
• Trustpilot rating: 4.7

What Makes City Relay Stand Out

The best Airbnb management companies in London have their own strengths and special features.

Houst and GuestReady are both global companies bringing a wealth of experience and expertise. SmartHost and Pass the Keys use flexible letting that ensures higher rental income for property owners.

What makes City Relay stand out?

Strong property management expertise

City Relay brings in a decade of experience when it comes to property management. The company hand-picked professionals and experts in the industry to ensure property owners and guests get high-quality service and support. Through the team’s expertise, properties enjoy dynamic pricing schemes, timely letting strategies and compelling marketing initiatives. This leads to maximum occupancy rates and rental income.

All-in-one management

What makes City Relay stand out among property owners is the all-in-one management they provide. The onboarding process is thorough and includes a staging process so all properties meet premium standards. This includes design and styling, professional photography, 3D walkthroughs, etc.

The housekeeping team is in-house. This means cleaning, maintenance and repair requirements are promptly attended to.

Compliance is also another service provided by City Relay. Account managers ensure all properties meet the highest standards and legal requirements in London and Paris.

Innovative technology

Although City Relay takes care of the daily property management and operations, property owners stay in control through the smart proprietary platform, Opago. This technology provides 24/7 access to a property’s performance. It’s easy to use and provides information that includes financial reports, cleaning/maintenance schedules and costs, compliance status, booking calendars, etc.

High trust rating

City Relay maintains a high trust rating of 4.7 on Trustpilot and 4.6 on Google reviews. Properties enjoy a positive reputation by association. So even if the property is new in the market, since City Relay manages it, guests will feel confident in booking the space.

Work with the Best Airbnb Management Company in London

Working with the right Airbnb management company in London can make all the difference to your property’s performance and profitability. The more reliable the company is, the greater the occupancy and rental income would be. It also means you’ll enjoy a stress-free hosting experience.

Whether you prefer personalised service, flexible letting or advanced technology, each of the companies discussed in this article offers unique strengths. Understand the specific needs of your property so you can choose the best Airbnb management company. Take the time to review different services and compare commission rates and pricing models.

If you’re looking for the best company to manage your property in London, we’d be delighted to discuss our comprehensive, data-driven approach. You can also find out how much your property and earn through our free rental calculator.