Professional or DIY management of a holiday apartment

Managing a holiday apartment yourself or with professionals means differences in costs, time, control and operational workload. Managing it yourself can suit owners with the time and experience, while a specialist company can take care of pricing, bookings, guest service, cleaning and maintenance in return for a commission.

Whether you already own a holiday-let home or are thinking of becoming an owner, you probably know that managing it is not as simple as it looks. Behind what can be an easy way to earn extra income lie a few headaches. What many people don't know is that there are companies that can take care of all these tasks for us. But is it a good idea to let someone else manage our home? In 2026 this question matters even more: professional management of holiday lets will make the difference.

A comparison of costs, tasks, advantages and risks to help you choose how to manage a holiday home.

When you have a holiday-let home you need to know what your guests expect from you. They will probably expect someone to be there when they arrive to hand over the key, or to get the code for the electronic lock at the right moment so they can get in without problems. They will also want the home to look as much as possible like the photos they have seen, and to be clean and tidy. On the other hand, something unexpected can always come up, so it will reassure them to know that they can contact us through a chat, by phone or through any other instant communication channel. Finally, they will expect to be able to check out easily.

Obviously, offering these services takes time and money and translates into tasks such as managing your property's profile on different platforms and making sure the availability calendar is always up to date, doing the cleaning, welcoming guests, handing over and collecting keys, keeping the property in good shape at all times and providing customer service. That is why it's important to think about how we are going to manage all these services and choose the best way to run our business.

What are my options?

If you are wondering what the options are for managing your holiday let, they basically come down to two: managing it yourself or trusting a company to do it for you. Both options are valid, and which one you choose will depend on your particular situation.

Managing the home yourself

For many this is the preferred option because it lets you know everything that happens in your property first-hand, and it is also usually thought to be the cheapest option. As you don't depend on others and therefore don't pay them for their services, it can seem like the cheapest and most effective way to manage your holiday let. This option may be the most advisable above all if you only have one property, or if managing it is a responsibility you enjoy and want to spend your time on.

Leaving the management to specialist companies

However, more and more owners are trusting specialist companies to manage their properties. At first sight managing a property may seem simple but, as we have seen, it hides many headaches that will cost us time, money and effort. Besides, things like cleaning or maintenance tasks will probably turn out better if a professional does them than if we do them ourselves.

On the other hand, although it may seem we are saving money by not paying for these services, what is the price of keeping an eye on your phone all day in case your guest decides to contact you or a problem crops up? Technology also helps you run a holiday let without having to keep an eye on the flat. If on top of that we have to take care of taking photos, writing descriptions and updating availability on every platform where our property is listed, we may be trying to take on too much, especially if we have more than one home to let.

That is why in recent years holiday-let companies such as beBalmy have emerged, specialising in managing holiday lets and offering services such as check-in/check-out, cleaning, maintenance, profile management, calendars or price optimisation. And as specialists in holiday lets, these companies can help you better understand the opportunities to improve your property and what your guests want.

Is it really… worth it?

The main drawback we probably see in leaving the management to others is that we will have to pay for that service. But… is it really expensive?

The most important thing is to research the options in your area properly and choose the company that best fits your needs. Most companies have different plans: some cheaper ones covering the minimum services, such as our Basic plan, designed to help owners who only need a little help, and other more complete ones, such as the Professional plan designed for owners who don't want headaches and just want to focus on getting paid at the end of the month, knowing their business is well managed.

As the proof of the pudding is in the eating, in the example of our flat in Santa Engracia you can see the real figures for one of our properties, where we doubled the income thanks to switching to professional management instead of managing it themselves. And if you still have doubts about the type of let, compare holiday lets vs long-term lets.

Your holiday let, in professional hands

If you own holiday-let homes and your aim is to give the best service and turn them into a sustainable business, you probably already know that the most important thing is to make sure you have everything under control, and that is only possible with the help of professionals such as beBalmy.

Even so, you need to understand clearly what your property really needs and which services you need in order to optimise your costs and invest only in the areas you don't control. That is why it is a good idea to take up the opportunity we offer you to get a free analysis of your home, so you can find out which services we can provide and see whether they cover your needs. 

If, as a host, you want the peace of mind of knowing that everything to do with your holiday let is under control, that your guests will have 24/7 support and that you only pay for the services you need, we could be the solution you were looking for. Shall we talk?