Short-term rental and property management questions, answered

Yes. In Greater London you can let an entire home short term for up to 90 nights in a calendar year without planning permission. Beyond that you need planning permission from your borough. Rules can change, so check with your local council or a legal adviser.

The Deregulation Act 2015 lets you use a home as temporary sleeping accommodation for up to 90 nights a calendar year without planning permission. The count resets on 1 January, and platforms such as Airbnb usually block entire-home listings once the limit is reached.

England does not currently have a short-term let licence. A mandatory national registration scheme has been legislated for and was expected to begin in 2026, so check the latest government guidance for its status.

This depends on the property and how it is used, but common ones include gas safety, an electrical installation condition report (EICR), a fire risk assessment, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and an EPC. Our compliance service schedules, completes and records them.

An electrical installation condition report is usually refreshed every five years for rented homes. It applies to all homes, including HMOs and new builds.

Standard home or landlord insurance often does not cover short-term letting, so most operators use specialist short-let insurance. Speak to your insurer or broker about the cover that suits your portfolio.

Both are furnished homes let for shorter stays. Serviced apartments are usually run like a hotel product, with services such as housekeeping and linen included, and are often aimed at corporate and longer stays. We support both.

You can buy and wash your own, or use a linen service. Opago supplies hotel-grade linen and towels and runs its own laundry, with delivery and collection around your turnovers.

A common rule of thumb is three sets per bed: one on the bed, one in the wash and one in stock. A linen service takes that stock and laundry burden away.

Yes. You can use either on its own or bundled. Linen can be on-demand, a subscription or bundled with housekeeping.

Enough to cover a stay without guests needing to buy anything: toilet paper, hand soap, shampoo, shower gel and basic cleaning supplies, plus any welcome extras that fit your brand. We supply sustainably sourced toiletries and welcome packs.

An operations partner runs the physical side of a portfolio: cleaning, linen, maintenance, compliance and guest support. You keep your brand, your guests and your strategy, and the operation runs behind you.

A property manager usually handles the owner relationship, listings, pricing and guest communication. An operations partner delivers the services in the property. Many property managers use us for the field work.

Common signs are headcount growing as fast as the portfolio, senior staff firefighting, inconsistent standards, and operations limiting your ability to say yes to growth.

Standardise your processes, use technology for scheduling and visibility, and bring in specialist partners for functions that need field teams. That lets units grow without headcount growing at the same rate.

Yes. You can use one service, combine several, or outsource the whole field operation under your brand.

It means we work behind your brand. Guests and owners see your name, while our teams, standards and systems run the operation.

Property managers often charge a percentage of rental income or a fixed fee, depending on the services included. Opago is an operations partner and prices around the services you use, so we scope it in an operations review.