Holiday Lettings & Property Management in Oxford and Oxfordshire

The terms all refer to the same ‘type’ of rental arrangement, this being the rental of your furnished property with council tax, utilities and bills included. The rental agreement is by Licence and the home is not the primary resident of the guest. Airbnb and Booking.com are what we call ‘Online Travel Agents’ or OTA’s. They are just one channel amongst many that you can use to market your property.
A successful agent will have a wide range of marketing channels which include OTA’s, the agent’s own website, direct mailing, social media and email campaigns to previous guests.

A Short-let (or Airbnb-style rental) is a furnished property let for a defined period, usually with utilities, council tax, and amenities included, and not used as the guest’s main home.
A Residential Let involves a tenant with legal rights of occupation, where the property is their primary residence.
The distinction also lies in the type of agreement:
• Short Lets use a licence agreement, giving guests permission to occupy the property without creating a tenancy.
• Residential Lets use a tenancy agreement (e.g. an Assured Shorthold Tenancy or Company Let), which grants exclusive possession, requires rent, and covers a fixed or periodic term.
The Renters Reform Bill (2025) will end fixed-term tenancies, introducing rolling arrangements with new conditions for ending a tenancy.
Most private tenancies are Assured Shorthold Tenancies, offering statutory protection to tenants. (University accommodation is an exception.)
This is general guidance only and not professional advice.

That depends on your property’s location, size, and condition.
If it’s available year-round, your income after servicing, linen, and cleaning costs will usually exceed that from a residential let. However, if you’re looking at net income (the cash left after all fees and expenses), only some properties outperform long-term rentals. Many simply match, and some fall short.
Properties most likely to earn more typically have:
• Year-round appeal
• A mix of UK and overseas guests
• Parking
• High-quality décor, furnishings, and equipment
• Good maintenance suited to their target market
The choice between short-term and residential letting also depends on practical factors, such as how often you need access to the property or whether you wish to grant long-term tenancy rights.
Key Points:
• Short-term lets are legally permitted in Oxford.
• With the right permissions and landlord-practices, property-owners can operate responsibly and gain rental income.
Considerations:
• Oxford City Council is pushing for implementation of a planning class for short-term rentals.
• The Oxford City Council has placed enforcement orders on a very small number of short-term rental properties about which it revoked many noise and other complaints.
• Business‐rates vs. council-tax status may apply depending on availability/let days.

The answer to this question depends very much on the reason why you are investing in a property and upon location.
If you are investing in a property for your personal use as a holiday home and considering rentals for times of the year when you are not there, then your personal preferences are likely to be an important factor.
A rural property is likely to have different requirements than a property in an urban environment. As a rule of thumb the following factors apply.
Rural homes:
• Access to a pub.
• Things to do as a family if the home is three or four bedrooms or more.
• Local walks.
• Hot tub.
• Excellent Wi-Fi.
• Pet friendly.
Urban homes:
• Parking.
• Free from any restrictive covenants around use as a short term rental.
• Access to town centre or places of work such as business or science parks.
• Excellent Wi-Fi.
• Good public transport links.
Don’t forget that in most cases the purchase of a property is a significant investment and one of the key considerations may be around the potential increase in asset value.

As a landlord there are a number of regulations that you are legally required to comply with before renting out your home, whether this is a room in a shared house or a separate dwelling. These are typically around:
• Electrical safety (EICR and PAT testing).
• Fire Safety.
• Gas and carbon Monoxide safety.
• Energy Performance (EPC).
Whilst Airbnb does not make any checks on whether you are compliant or not, at Short Let Space we are keen advocates of best practice and will require you to provide evidence that you have met the above requirements.
Our blog post on Your Legal Requirements as a Landlord is most helpful first step.

Serious damage in short-term rentals is very rare. Most guests treat properties with great care, often more carefully than long-term tenants, as they’re staying for a short visit and want to enjoy their time.
At Short Let Space, we’re proactive in protecting every home we manage. We use a combination of “soft-vetting” and guest screening to help ensure bookings come from responsible travellers. Our team also carries out regular inspections, professional housekeeping, and detailed check-in/out reports so that any minor issues are spotted early.
That said, short-term letting is a commercial activity, and the possibility of accidental damage can never be completely ruled out. For that reason, we recommend every owner keeps appropriate insurance in place and sets aside a modest reserve for general wear and tear or quick repairs.
Our Damage Waiver and Claims Fund schemes are designed to make the process simple and stress-free, meaning that, if something does go wrong, you’re covered and your property can be restored quickly.
In short: with good management, solid insurance, and a practical approach, the risk of damage is minimal and fully manageable.

Cancellation terms vary depending on the channel through which the guest booked, type of property and the flexibility of the owner.