Pass the Keys Airbnb Management – Worth It or Not?

Pass the Keys: Features Compared to Competitors

Naturally, the first thing I wanted to do was compare Pass the Keys’ service offering to their competitors (e,g. City Relay, Smart Host, Guest Ready, Hello Guest etc.). I’ll be honest, I struggled to spot much of a difference, if any.

On their Services & Pricing page, Pass the Keys claim that the “average competitor” doesn’t offer:

• Photos after each cleaning
• Flexibility for self-bookings on your property
• Management of guest selection and review
• 24/7 guest support
• Dedicated local account manager

So, I cross-referenced these features with other Airbnb management companies in London, they all seemed to offer those features. Or, at least, most of them.

Now here’s where things get interesting: Pass the Keys also state that all of those features (except for the dedicated local account manager) are “subject to availability depending on region.”

Err… so did I understand that correctly?

So they’re saying, “We offer more than most”, but then admit they might not actually offer those things depending on your location? That’s… confusing.

Right, hold that thought.

Is Pass the Keys More Expensive Because It’s a Franchise?

This might be the key (pun intended. I obviously had to!).

Unlike other management companies I looked into, Pass the Keys is a franchise. That means independent operators across the country can trade under the Pass the Keys brand.

And that, I reckon, explains a lot:

• Why they cover so much more of the UK than other providers
• Why some services vary by location
• And most crucially, why they charge more. Here’s how I see it:
  • Franchisees pay fees to the franchisor (Pass the Keys HQ)
  • In many areas, they’re the only Airbnb management company available, so they can charge more simply because there’s no competition

To be clear, this is all just speculation on my part, but it does seem to add up.

Pass the Keys Competition…

Alternative Airbnb & Short-let Management Companies

Service	Rating	Services	Coverage	Price from
City Relay Top Pick	Rating 4.7 TrustPilot Reviews	Services Markets on Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, Rightmove, Zoopla + more Flexible letting to optimise performance by blending all types of let (short, mid and long-term) Manages Profiles & Listings Professional Photography, 3D virtual tours and floorplans Check-in & Key exchange Housekeeping service Property Maintenance & Repairs Inspections & Certificates Price Optimisation 24/7 Guest Support	Coverage London	Price from 12%+VAT	Visit Website Arrange a callback
Smarthost	Rating 4.7 TrustPilot Reviews	Services Markets on Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, Rightmove, Vrbo + more Flexible letting to optimise performance by blending all types of let (short, mid and long-term) Booking management Professional Photography Check-in & Key exchange Housekeeping and linen Maintenance Support Price Optimisation 24/7 Guest Support	Coverage London	Price from 12%+VAT	Visit Website
Guest Ready	Rating 4.7 TrustPilot Reviews	Services Markets on airbnb, HomeAway, Booking.com, tripadvisor, Expedia + more Flexible letting to optimise performance by blending all types of let (short, mid and long-term) Manages Profiles & Listings Professional Photography Check-in & Key exchange Housekeeping Service Property Maintenance & Repairs Price Optimisation 24/7 Guest Support	Coverage Bath Birmingham Bristol Liverpool London Manchester Edinburgh Cardiff	Price from 12%+VAT	Visit Website
Hello Guest	Rating 4.8 TrustPilot Reviews	Services Markets on airbnb, HomeAway, Booking.com, Expedia + more Flexible letting to optimise performance by blending all types of let (short, mid and long-term) Manages Profiles & Listings Check-in & Key exchange Professional Photography Housekeeping Service Property Maintenance & Repairs Price Optimisation 24/7 Guest Support	Coverage UK-Wide Coverage (including most major cities). Visit website for full list.	Price 12% +VAT	Visit Website
Pass the Keys	Rating 4.8 TrustPilot Reviews	Services Markets on airbnb, HomeAway, Booking.com + tripadvisor Flexible letting to optimise performance by blending all types of let (short, mid and long-term) Manages Profiles & Listings Professional Photography Housekeeping Service Property Maintenance & Repairs Price Optimisation 24/7 Guest Support	Coverage UK-Wide Coverage (including most major cities). Visit website for full list.	Price from 20+VAT	Visit Website

Please note, I try my best to keep the information of each service up-to-date, but you should read the T&C's from their website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

For full transparency, City Relay is an affiliate partner of mine, because I personally believe they’re the best option in London. That said, I’m not here to push City Relay or any of the other alternative management companies I mention (affiliate or not) over Pass the Keys – that is not the intention of this blog post. We good? Cool.

Would I Personally Use Pass the Keys?

If they were the only game in town? Probably, yes (assuming I wanted to use an Airbnb management service).

But in a place like London (and other major cities and touristic hotspots), where I’ll have access to several other reputable Airbnb management companies offering nearly identical services – I’d shop around before making any commitments.

I’ve been told by a little helpful birdie that, in London, Pass the Keys commission starts at 15%, with an average of around 18% across the city. Their website states that their standard pricing is 20% + VAT of the rental income, but apparently that figure represents their UK-wide average. So perhaps there’s a little hope.

Conclusion: If Pass the Keys isn’t your only option in town, you’re likely to find cheaper alternatives (not necessarily saying they’ll be better or worse, though). I personally haven’t seen anything in their offering that clearly delivers more value than the competition, so if you want the best deal, get a few quotes for comparison.

Did I miss something?

If you think I’ve got this wrong and/or if you’ve used their services, please drop a comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Once again, just to be absolutely clear – this isn’t a hit piece. I haven’t personally used Pass the Keys’ services, so for all I know, they could be top-tier and well worth the extra 8% for the quality of service alone. I’m definitely not telling you to avoid them.

Landlord out xo