London is one of the most desirable cities in the world and so it is not surprising that it receives millions of tourists every year. Each of these tourists needs somewhere to stay, and many of them choose Airbnb for an authentic experience. This is why London has become such a great investment for investors and businesses alike. For an Airbnb to be successful and profitable, it has to be managed properly. If you are a property owner or landlord considering Airbnb, here are some tips for success.
Be Detailed In Your Listings
The key to Airbnb success is getting people to fall in love with your property or unit as soon as they see it. It is, therefore, crucial to get all the details right in your listing. Start with a detailed description of not only the property but of all the amenities, entertainment spots, and other interesting attractions in the surrounding area. If there are popular destinations close to the property, add them, too.
Next, get enticing photographs of every room on the property. If you can take some beautiful exterior shots, ensure you take them on a nice day so they stand out.
It is also a good idea to list things that might be missing if you do not want negative reviews. For example, some properties do not have a lift, so mention it. If you do not, do not be surprised if someone leaves a bad review saying they had to drag their luggage up multiple flights of stairs.
Use Key Management Services
An Airbnb host has to give guests, cleaners, and other authorised persons access to their property, which typically involves handing them a set of keys when they want access. But what happens if you are away when your guest arrives or do not live close to the property?
An excellent solution is using key management services like KeyNest. It is a simple and secure key exchange service that gives hosts control over who accesses the property and is a convenient option for guests.
Guests deposit their keys at a local KeyNest point and receive a code. Once a guest is ready to sign in, the host can provide the KeyNest location and a unique code so they can collect the keys. Do note that Airbnb property owners can also provide the code to other people who want access to the property such as cleaners and maintenance crew.
You will be notified every time your keys are collected and returned so you have total control over them.
List House and Neighbourhood Rules
Your guests should understand your house rules and the rules of the neighbourhood. House rules should tell them what they can and cannot do in the house, what they can access, what appliances they are allowed to use, and so on. Doing so will help avoid any awkwardness and confusion once the guests are in the house.
Every neighbourhood has rules, but the most common one is about noise levels. Let your guests know about the allowed noise levels so they do not annoy or upset your neighbours.
Keep The Property in Pristine Condition
People want a clean and hygienic property or unit to stay in regardless of the length of their stay. Doing so has two major benefits. First, it makes them more likely to recommend your property and leave you a great review. Second, it hints to them that you want them to take care of the property and leave it in a good condition.
Granted, some guests will leave your home worse than they found it, so Airbnb has made it easy to charge a cleaning fee. If you charge it, let your guests know beforehand and be reasonable about it as it can push guests away if it is too high.
Be Choosy About Your Guests
It might seem like being choosy can lead to lower Airbnb income, but that is not necessarily the case. If a guest leaves a lot of damage in the kitchen that costs a lot to fix, for example, it would have been better not to have hosted them in the first place. The damage will have a significant effect on your income anyway.
The good news is that hosts can talk to each other. You can ask other hosts about their experience with the guest and remember they can ask other people about you and your property.
It is fine to decline an inquiry from any guests you are unsure or uncomfortable with.
Let a Property Management Company Help You
Airbnb hosts might find themselves juggling a lot of things if they own and manage more than one property or unit. Instead of struggling to manage their properties, they can hire an Airbnb manager in London to help them out. A property management company like UpperKey London becomes your primary tenant, guarantees income, and manages every aspect of the property.
An agreement with Upper Key starts with an assessment of the property. Once assessed, the property owner will receive an offer. If they agree to it, they will be provided with an upfront rental payment for the first year of the agreement. They will then receive guaranteed rent every month after that.
Engaging the services of a London Airbnb manager saves you a lot of time and stress as the property management company takes care of every aspect of the property for you.
Airbnb property management London requires understanding what guests are looking for and providing it to them. It also requires knowledge of how to maximise bookings, how to choose guests, and when to let a property management company handle Airbnb management London Airbnb for you.