HW: Tell us a bit about what you manage day to day and how you work with a landlord?

John: Everyday is an adventure! Typically, I start by going through any urgent matters and dealing with them accordingly. I could be meeting a new client and having an office day setting up new listings or working on new strategies, and liaising with the internal teams. With the landlord, once we have our initial onboarding where we discuss all aspects of their home and moving forward, we then work with them ad-hoc from personal bookings to pricing to guests, etc.

HW: When is the best time for a landlord to approach you with a project for a short-let property? (stage of the project, month of the year, etc)

John: All year round! We operate 365 days a year, so whether you are looking to list your property immediately on the short to medium term let market or you are in the middle of refurbishment, our local experts are there to assist you. Working with Homewings is a great way to help landlords get market-ready design and furnishing up and running quickly so they can start listing a higher yield value space in a shorter time frame.

HW: Once you are ready to take on a property, what do you look to achieve during a photography session and what do you advise landlords to do to prepare for this?

John: Photography - and your interior set up - sells your home and we have some pretty talented photographers on our roster! But of course, we do need the home to look and feel fabulous (which is where you guys come in!). We typically schedule our first clean and home make up prior to photography so we know it’s picture perfect. Potential guests love seeing homes that look clean, have character and look lived in, rather than standard blank walls. So we do advise to clear the home of any mess and of course our landlords can use the Homewings service to source any décor that provides a more homely and personalised feel.

HW: As you work with a lot of properties, what’s the newest must-have amenity you recommend landlords have in their flats?

John: There is a list of requirements that we need in order to make your home live on booking sites. Besides that, Smart locks are a great modern addition and provides secure and quick access for guests. WiFi-enabled heating systems like Hive are also super handy! Hosts and guests love these newer features.

HW: What are your recommendations for landlords looking to boost their income? What makes a £30 or £40 per night difference?

John: Having amenities like a TV, microwave and laundry facilities definitely boost the interest in booking your home but ultimately the quality of design and furniture is the biggest differentiator given how important that first impression is to any potential guest - it shows care and attention to detail in the guest experience.

The ability to include a sofa bed also increases your nightly rate by adding extra guest fees and great photos help as well along with excellent copy in your listing – which we have super talented writers for!

With a head office in London, GuestReady operates across Europe, the Middle East and Asia: it provides Airbnb-management services to rental hosts in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Paris, Cannes, Porto, Lisbon, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong. Launched in 2016, GuestReady uses technology to enable its personalised style of property management. For more information, visit GuestReady.com.