UK / US: In a bid to promote consistent standards across the fragmented short-term rental industry, quality assurance platform Properly and official accreditation agency Quality in Tourism are joining forces to work with short-term rental businesses that wish to “lead the way and reap the rewards”.
The partnership comes as guests are increasingly expecting more from their chosen rental accommodation and believe that all health and safety, hygiene and legal requirements are met to a satisfactory standard.
Quality in Tourism’s SAFE, CLEAN & LEGAL™ trademarked accreditation scheme and Properly are now reaching thousands of homeowners through the Properly quality management app. The app contains embedded skills and checklists that help the management of properties and prepare for a “full but simple” accreditation programme running under the trademark.
Rental properties differ from hotels where a single business manages a number of rooms with professionally trained hospitality staff, while rentals are sourced from millions of independent homeowners.
In 2019, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky indicated that the company would certify its hosts’ properties: “We’re going to make sure we can stand behind every single listing, every single host. We want to give peace of mind to our guests.”
However, progress on this currently remains unclear.
Properly’s app is used by owners and managers globally to work closely with their service providers, enhanced by optional remote inspection. Now, the company is bringing accreditation and verification to the UK, en-masse via its app with Quality in Tourism and nationally approved protocols embedded.
Meanwhile, Quality in Tourism has developed long-standing partnerships with established, highly trusted hospitality organisations. By regulating the diligence of quality and assessments across the whole hospitality sector, it is well positioned to provide the foundations for a short-term rental parallel of excellence.
The partnership comes to the fore when evidencing, checking and giving peace of mind to both guest and owner alike, and top of the list of concerns are health and safety, legal obligations, and cleanliness and hygiene. As a result, both Properly and Quality in Tourism believe that guest complaints on mis-representation, cleanliness and Covid-enhanced hygiene issues will become a thing of the past.
With consumer awareness increasing on safety factors, such as fire prevention, carbon monoxide monitors, gas and electrical safety certificates, all homeowners and managers will need to address compliance issues, record and maintain them.
Quality in Tourism and Properly will be exhibiting together at Stand 32 at URBAN LIVING FESTIVAL 2021: STAY, LIVE, WORK, organised by International Hospitality Media, on 26-27 October at Tobacco Dock London.
ULF connects the global community of contemporary hospitality and real estate ‘urbanites’ to collectively define the evolution of how and where we stay, live and work. Book your tickets for ULF at this link.
