Renting an apartment or flat for short stays sounds like an easy way to earn extra income. But in practice, is it really that simple? More and more apartment owners decide to entrust their properties to the care of a professional rental operator. Why? In this article, we look at 7 reasons why short-term self-rental stops being profitable.
Every booking means contacting guests, answering questions, confirmations, preparing the apartment, cleaning after departure. It sounds like a second full-time job. Owners quickly discover that instead of passive income, they have active 24/7 obligations.
Guests leave reviews not only for a comfortable mattress but also for cleanliness, scent, and... completeness of the cutlery set. Without a trusted team, you risk lower ratings and fewer bookings. And one "5/10" can ruin your profile on Booking.
Self-rental without pricing management tools (so-called revenue management) is pure loss. Many owners do not even track their occupancy rates or ADR. An operator will do this for you, optimizing prices based on season, demand, and competitors' data.
Too slow a response to a guest's question? No TV remotes? A key problem? All of these end up in reviews. When apartment management is not professional, bad ratings appear, and with them, a drop in visibility in OTA search engines. The operator reacts faster and has standards and systems.
Cleaning, laundry, commissions, taxes, reports for accounting. In theory simple, in practice time-consuming and error-prone. Good operators provide access to monthly settlements and reports, so you can sleep peacefully (and file your PIT).
Tourists have questions and expectations: about wifi, parking, recommended restaurants. Every message requires a response. Owners without support quickly feel overwhelmed. An operator with a reservation and service team is a huge relief.
When short-term rental starts interfering with daily life, it's worth asking yourself: is it still an investment or a second full-time job? Cooperating with an operator allows you to regain time, peace, and... sense in owning a rental property.
If you are tired of answering phones, messaging guests, and dealing with reviews – you are among thousands of owners who have chosen an operator. They gained not only peace of mind but also better income and less stress.
At Solarento, we take care of your apartment from A to Z – and you can simply check your account balance.
