Short-Term & Serviced Accommodation

It depends on the property, location, demand and the economics of operating it.

We assess each opportunity individually and consider the likely performance against other strategies before making a recommendation.

For whole-home short-term letting in Greater London, a residential property can generally be used as temporary sleeping accommodation for up to 90 nights in a calendar year without planning permission, provided the relevant conditions are met. Use beyond that may require planning permission.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the property needs to sit empty for the rest of the year.

Where appropriate, we can create a hybrid strategy combining short, medium and longer stays, adapting the approach around demand, the property and the regulatory position.

The precise requirements depend on how the property is occupied and operated, so we consider this as part of our assessment rather than assuming every stay should be treated in the same way.

Yes.

Airbnb and Booking.com can be valuable booking channels, particularly for filling suitable gaps and accessing additional demand.

But we do not build the entire strategy around one platform. Our aim is to create the right mix of direct, corporate, professional and platform-generated stays for the property.

We are selective about the bookings we accept and take guest suitability seriously.

We use the screening, identification and booking controls appropriate to each channel, establish clear house rules and manage guest communication throughout the stay.

For properties within residential buildings or neighbourhoods, we are particularly conscious of occupancy, noise and respectful use of the property. Looking after the asset also means respecting its neighbours and wider community.

The property is professionally cleaned and reset between stays, giving us regular visibility over its condition.

We also coordinate maintenance and respond to issues as they arise, helping keep the property consistently well presented and ready for the next stay.

We can’t guarantee that.

For the right property and location, short-term and serviced accommodation can offer stronger income potential, but performance depends on demand, rates, occupancy and operating costs.

Our role is to assess the opportunity realistically and recommend the strategy only where we believe it makes commercial sense. If another approach is likely to suit the property better, we’ll tell you.

We consider local demand, comparable accommodation, booking lead times, length of stay, seasonal patterns and current availability.

Rates can then be adjusted as demand changes rather than leaving the property at one fixed price throughout the year.

That depends on the property and commercial arrangement.

Some properties may already be suitable, while others require furniture, equipment, styling or improvement works before launch.

We assess this upfront and clearly set out any recommended setup costs and responsibilities before you proceed.

For some longer-term arrangements, we may also consider contributing towards agreed works where the commercial structure supports it.

Depending on the arrangement, operating costs can include booking-platform charges, cleaning, utilities, housekeeping, consumables, maintenance and our management fee.

Your proposal clearly sets out the expected cost structure and how our fees are calculated before you commit.

This depends on how the property is operated and the applicable rating rules.

Depending on its availability, actual letting activity and use, a serviced-accommodation property may fall within Council Tax or business rates.

We consider the intended operating structure with you, and the agreement will make clear who is responsible for the relevant running costs. Where specialist tax or rating advice is required, this should be confirmed with an appropriately qualified adviser.

Potentially.

Mortgage terms, insurance policies, leases, building rules and planning requirements can all affect whether a property can be operated as serviced accommodation.

We discuss the proposed strategy with you during the assessment so the relevant permissions can be checked before proceeding.

With Short-Term Management, you retain the income generated by the property and therefore the potential upside, together with the normal variability in performance.

With Guaranteed Rent, Rethinking Property becomes your tenant and pays you an agreed monthly rent under a longer-term arrangement, providing greater certainty and less exposure to occupancy fluctuations.

We can assess both structures and recommend which we believe is more appropriate for the property.

You receive clear reporting on the property’s income and relevant operating performance.

Depending on the arrangement and systems in use, this can include occupancy, booking income, operating costs and other key performance information.