Portico Host – the short term lettings service run by London-based estate agency Portico – has been appointed to Airbnb’s Professional Co-Host programme, bringing Airbnb services to London’s high streets.
The estate agency, becomes just the sixth co-host partner in the UK and the first mainstream lettings business to be appointed to the programme. Properties will be available on the Airbnb website, managed by dedicated Portico account managers.
The move will help London’s private landlords to maximise income from their investment properties at a time when they are set to be hit with increased taxes and costs. It will also make Airbnb a more accessible option for homeowners interested in earning additional income through short term lets.
Fiona Patterson, New Business Director of Portico, said: We see our Airbnb management service as a complimentary service to our letting business, designed to support landlords between long term tenancies. Airbnb currently has a rule in London, where houses and flats cannot be occupied as short term lets for more than 90 days out of the year. As estate agents, we are in an excellent place to police this rule. Portico Host allows landlords to get the most from their property, whether it’s through a long-term tenant or a combination of long-term tenancies and short term lets.”
Patterson added: “Our partnership with Airbnb is the beginning of the new age of estate agency. Customers will now be able to walk into a Portico office on the high street and list their properties for rent through Airbnb in the same way that they would for long-term tenancy, with teams that are experienced in managing people’s homes and tenants. It is a unique proposition. An established business on the high street, offering an in-house service specifically designed for short term lets, backed by an award winning and trusted brand that truly understands how to look after a home.
“Our short-term letting service has more than doubled in the last year. Now, with the support of Airbnb, we are looking to fulfil the demand for a trustworthy short let management service. The co-host programme is designed to run alongside our traditional sales and lettings offerings, giving landlords the option to maximise their yields by using Airbnb during void periods, and enabling sellers to let out vacant properties on the market. With this service, we are one step closer to offering a full-service solution for every element of home ownership and optimising the consumer experience, which is our goal.”
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