There’s a quiet shift happening in holiday letting. And it’s not just among the newbies. More and more experienced hosts are starting to question whether their agent is really earning their keep.

You know the ones I mean: Sykes, Holiday Cottages, Travel Chapter and the like. Once the obvious choice for hands-off bookings, they’re now starting to feel outdated, clunky, rigid and increasingly expensive for what they actually deliver.

If you’re feeling like you’re doing most of the work for diminishing returns, you’re not imagining it. It’s a sadly familiar story (see my Facebook post here for lots of folk in the same boat).

Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking of moving away.

You’re not the only one feeling this way

You thought you were signing up for marketing expertise, steady bookings and hassle-free management. What you’ve actually got is a middleman who:

controls your calendar more than you do
gives you less and less in return
won’t let you contact your guests directly
offers rigid pricing and outdated stay rules
takes commission on bookings you helped generate

You’re still doing the cleaning or perhaps managing a cleaner, answering the questions and welcoming the guests, but you’re often doing it on someone else’s terms.

The most common complaints I hear

Most people who come to me at this stage share the same three frustrations:

They’re not getting enough bookings
The bookings they do get are underpriced
They feel like they’ve lost control of their own business

Sometimes they say it out loud. Sometimes it’s just a sense that things aren’t working anymore (or sometimes never did). In the worst cases, rather than admit there’s a problem, the agent will gaslight you and tell you you’re overpriced or it would all be better if you did xyz.

So what’s the alternative?

The idea of leaving a big agent can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve been with them for years. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to go fully independent overnight.

For most of the hosts I work with, the best first step is simple: get listed on Airbnb. Airbnb isn’t the be all and end all but it might be the best first step.

It’s a clean, user-friendly platform that puts you back in control of:

pricing
minimum stays
guest communication
calendar availability

It’s flexible enough to reflect your actual life, not the system your agent wants you to stick to. If it feels like a leap, you don’t have to make it alone. I’m able to offer full mentoring through the process, and can do that at a discounted rate if you’ve not started a listing there before (don’t start anything until we’ve had a chat!). There’s a great many reviews on my Facebook page for people who I’ve worked with in exactly that way. I’d love you to take a look: they’ll show you that I can help but, more importantly, that you will thrive!

Sharon’s story

Sharon was with a big OTA for 15 years. She had a lovely cottage, her own website and a Facebook page but she was still handing over commission on bookings she’d done the work to generate.

“My OTA always made me feel like I was working for them,” she told me. “They told me how many days I could use my cottage and I had to beg for a social media post — they gave me 2 in 15 years.”

When the bookings started dropping off, the agent wouldn’t acknowledge anything was wrong. That’s when Sharon came to me for a strategy call.

We talked about Airbnb and about what was getting in the way. She was used to fixed changeovers and fixed-length stays, but I pointed out that those settings would limit her reach on Airbnb.

She took the leap, shifted her availability and started letting through Airbnb instead.

“Yes, my calendar looks very different than it used to,” she said. “But Kay was right. In my first year on Airbnb I exceeded the number of nights booked compared to the previous year by a small margin, but the biggest change was being up over 30% on revenue.”

“Kay helped me step away. She believed in me and my business. She guided me through letting on Airbnb and I haven’t looked back. My guests are mine and my cottage feels like mine again.”

If Sharon’s story feels familiar, and you want someone to talk it through with, you can book a 1:1 strategy call with me - just drop me a message and we’ll get it in the calendar. I’ll help you look at what’s working, what isn’t, and what your next step could be.

What about direct bookings?

Most people think they have to choose between ‘on a big agent’ and ‘fully direct’. But that’s not how I see it.

There’s a gentle middle path:

Start with Airbnb
Build your confidence
Layer in Facebook and repeat guests (be sure to sign up for the next round of Facebook Fix as soon as you’ve decided to leave an agent - the quicker you start building a Facebook page, the better)
Then decide if you need a direct booking site

Airbnb gives you a level of flexibility and autonomy that many agents don’t. It’s a solid foundation. You’re not locked in, and you’re not left on your own either.

Final thoughts

If you’ve been feeling like your agent is more of a hindrance than a help, you’re probably right. If you’re frustrated by the pricing, the control, the lack of progress, you’re not alone.

You deserve to feel proud of your place and confident in your bookings.

Whether you’ve been letting for three years or thirty, it’s not too late to do things differently.

And if you’d like help, that’s exactly what I do. Have a look at what’s on offer here and send me a message to get it booked in or ask some questions.

You’ll get honest feedback, tailored advice and a clear first step.

Kay x

Thinking of moving to Airbnb from your big agent? Here’s what you should know