Serviced accommodation manager for owners

Property owners who live elsewhere or lack time, with guests paying rent for the stay through the booking platforms.

A percentage of each booking, often with a setup fee. Income grows with the number of properties you look after.

• Reliable and quick at communication
• Organising cleaners and tradespeople
• Writing clear listings
• Calm problem solving

• A written management agreement setting out who pays for repairs, insurance and refunds
• Local rules on short lets, such as licensing in Scotland and Wales or planning limits elsewhere, and who is responsible for them, so check with the council
• Fire, gas and electrical safety responsibilities for the owner, and insurance that covers short-term guests
• Handling guest money and deposits, and any tax position, so check with HMRC
• Owners with unrealistic expectations of income, so be honest about quiet periods
• Out-of-hours calls and last-minute cleaning problems

Startup costs are typically around £300 to £2,000, depending on how you set up and find your first owners. Treat this as an estimate and allow for quiet periods while you build up the properties you manage.

Revenue is typically around £500 to £3,000 a month, depending on how many properties you manage and the share of rent you agree with owners. Be honest with owners about quiet periods, as income can vary.

Check you have a written management agreement covering repairs, insurance and refunds. Also check local short-let rules with the council, such as licensing in Scotland and Wales or planning limits elsewhere, who is responsible for them, and fire, gas and electrical safety and insurance.