How Estate Agencies Can Tap Into Short-Term Rentals Without a Big Upfront Investment

Short term rentals are no longer just the domain of individual Airbnb hosts. They have become a serious revenue stream in the property world, with demand growing from business travellers, tourists, and digital nomads alike. For landlords, the returns often outpace traditional long lets by a wide margin.

So why are so many estate agencies holding back?

The common perception is that short term rentals require big investment: new teams, complex technology, and constant guest management. That sounds like a distraction from the core lettings business, and understandably, most agencies are reluctant to take that leap.

The truth is different. With the right partner, agencies can launch a branded short let service quickly, with almost no upfront infrastructure costs.

Why Agencies Shouldn’t Ignore Short Term Rentals

The opportunity is too significant to leave on the table.

• Higher yields for landlords: In many UK cities, short lets can generate 30–50% more income compared with long term tenancies.
• Growing demand: Travellers now expect professional short stay options, not just spare rooms.
• Client retention: Landlords are starting to ask agencies about short lets. If you cannot provide the option, another agency will.

This isn’t just an “extra” service. It’s fast becoming a core expectation in competitive markets.

The Roadblock: Upfront Investment

Agencies often assume they would need to:

• Hire reservations and guest support teams
• Build out housekeeping and maintenance networks
• Invest in property management and pricing software
• Take on regulatory and compliance risk

All of that looks like starting a whole new business division. For most agencies, it simply doesn’t add up.

A Smarter Approach: White Label Operations

This is where the model has changed. Instead of building operations from scratch, agencies can now partner with a white label short let provider.

Here is what that means in practice:

• Your agency signs the landlord and promotes the short let service under your own brand.
• The operations partner handles all the behind-the-scenes work — bookings, guest communication, cleaning, maintenance, pricing, and compliance.
• The agency earns a margin on every booking and keeps full ownership of the client relationship.

To the landlord, everything looks and feels like it is coming directly from your agency.

What This Delivers for Agencies

1. New revenue without new overheads
   Instead of building teams, you tap into a ready-made infrastructure.
2. Faster speed to market
   Launch in weeks, not years, with your own branded short let service.
3. Landlord loyalty
   By offering choice and flexibility, you strengthen relationships and reduce churn.
4. Scalable growth
   Expand into new areas or property types without worrying about local staff or logistics.

How to Get Started

Launching a short let service doesn’t need to be complicated. A practical approach looks like this:

1. Define the offer: Position short lets as an optional premium service for landlords.
2. Partner with the right provider: Choose an operator like Opago that can work invisibly under your brand.
3. Pilot with a few properties: Test performance, refine messaging, and build case studies.
4. Promote the service: Use your website, landlord communications, and valuations to introduce the option.
5. Scale gradually: Once proven, extend the model to more landlords and more areas.

Why Now Is the Right Time

The UK short term rental market is maturing. Travellers expect professional standards, landlords are actively asking about it, and competitors are beginning to move. Agencies that wait risk losing their most valuable clients.

The barrier used to be cost. Today, that barrier is gone. By working with a white label operations provider, agencies can unlock a new revenue stream, keep control of their landlord relationships, and future proof their business — all without the risk of heavy upfront investment.

Final thought

Estate agencies already hold the key ingredients for success in short lets: the landlords and the local expertise. With the right partner, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You simply need to unlock the opportunity.

If you would like to explore how your agency can launch short term rentals without the burden of building operations in-house, Opago can help you get started.