How quickly can I switch from a tenant to short lets?

What's the slowest part?

Getting the tenant out properly. Since Section 21 went in England, the tenancy needs to end either by the tenant leaving voluntarily or through the right legal ground and notice. That timeline depends on your situation, so check the latest guidance or speak to a specialist. Our guide on Section 21 explains the background.

If your tenant has already given notice, you're in luck. Use that notice period to get everything else ready.

Stage 1: While the tenant is still there

Don't wait for an empty property to start. This is the time to:

• Ask your lender for consent to short let, or look into a holiday let mortgage
• Get quotes for specialist short let insurance
• Check your lease if it's a leasehold flat
• Ask Renzo for a free income projection with local comparables
• Agree a furnishing plan, so orders can go in early

Mortgage changes often take the longest of these, so start there.

Stage 2: The tenant leaves

Do your checkout inspection, sort any deposit return through the scheme, and note any repairs. Then get the compliance done: gas safety, electrical check, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and a fire risk assessment. Renzo tracks compliance and books renewals before they're due from then on.

Stage 3: Repairs, furnishing and setup

This is where time can grow if there's a lot to do. A fresh coat of paint and some repairs are quick. A full furnish takes longer, mostly waiting for deliveries. We offer a full done for you setup covering furnishing, photos, listing and onboarding, which takes most of the project management off you. Our guide on furnishing a short let explains what's worth buying.

Stage 4: Photos, listing and first booking

Once it's ready, we photograph it, write the listing and get it live on Airbnb, Booking.com and direct channels. Pricing is set to win early bookings and reviews. From there we handle all guest calls, messages, bookings, cleaning, maintenance and pricing, and you get a monthly payment and statement.

How can I make it quicker?

The honest answer to how quickly is: faster than most landlords expect once the property is empty, and slower than they hope while a tenant is still in place. The landlords who switch quickest are the ones who treat the notice period as setup time rather than waiting time.

Do the paperwork early, don't overspend or overthink furnishing, and don't wait for perfection. My honest view: an empty month costs more than slightly imperfect cushions. If you want the full step by step, read can I switch from a long let to a short let without selling. And if you're unsure, start with one property first, like one of our landlords, John, did.