Letting agent managing Airbnbs to capitalise on booming short-lets market

A letting agent has launched its own management service for landlords organising short-term lets on Airbnb. 

ACEProperty, an estate and letting agency situated in Edinburgh, has launched 'ACEbnb' to capitalise on increased demand from the short-term lets market. 

The service does not find tenants for landlords, but manages the rental once the booking has been confirmed.

ACEbnb, which claims to be the first service of this type run by a high street letting agent in Edinburgh, will deal with check ins and check outs as well as cleaning, laundry services and key collection.

The firm will also provide 24/7 support via its maintenance team. 

One of the firm's directors, Alan Nash, told Letting Agent Today that he'd seen an opportunity to capitalise on the phenomenal growth of short-lets and in particular Airbnb.

He says that he hasn't lost any landlords to Airbnb but that he had been receiving increasing number of enquiries asking if his firm managed short-term rentals. 

Nash says it gives his firm a chance to build its portfolio by opening up to a wider pool of landlords who may, in the future, want to instruct a longer-term let or the sale of a property. 

He says that the service he is offering is valuable to 'Airbnb landlords' as the cleaning and organisational side of short-term lets is often not so attractive.

ACEProperty launched ACEbnb just over a month ago and Nash says he already has a number of landlords who've lined up Airbnb lets for the Edinburgh festival.