From Tenant Nightmare to £18,000 in Two Months

4-Bedroom Victorian House | Portobello, Edinburgh

The Challenge

We were approached by a property manager who needed our help preparing his client's beautiful four-bedroom Victorian house in Portobello for short-term letting over the summer.

The property had previously experienced a very difficult tenancy. The tenants had failed to pay their rent and had left the property in a seriously neglected condition, creating a challenging starting point for the owner.

The property manager had already arranged the necessary licences. What remained was to transform the house into a welcoming, professionally presented short-term rental — and we had just two weeks to do it.

Two Weeks to Get It Guest-Ready

There was no time for a lengthy preparation period.

Stayhaven coordinated the entire process, including:

• A comprehensive deep clean

• Professional interior photography

• Creation and optimisation of the online listing

• A quick refurbishment

• Purchasing and arranging essential equipment and household items

• Styling the property to make it feel warm, comfortable and homely

• Preparing the property for its first guests

In just two weeks, a property that had previously been through a difficult tenancy was transformed into a beautiful, fully equipped home ready to welcome guests.

The Biggest Challenge: No Reviews

There was one major obstacle.

The property had no previous short-term rental reviews.

For travellers, particularly when booking a larger and more expensive property, reviews can make a huge difference. A brand-new listing without a track record can struggle to compete with established properties that already have dozens or hundreds of positive reviews.

Fortunately, Stayhaven already had an established reputation on Airbnb, with more than 600 reviews and an average rating of over 4.7 stars across our managed properties.

That reputation gave us an important advantage.

While the property itself was new to the platform, guests could see that it was being professionally managed by an established local operator with a strong track record.

The Result

The house proved to be a huge success.

Over just two months, the property achieved:

95%+ Occupancy

£18,000+ in Revenue

The property quickly established itself as a desirable place to stay, despite starting from zero reviews.

The owner and the property manager were both delighted with the result.

What Made the Difference?

The success wasn't simply about putting the property on Airbnb.

It was about getting everything right in a very short period of time:

Preparation → Presentation → Professional Photography → Listing Strategy → Established Reputation → Guest Experience

By coordinating the entire setup process and leveraging the reputation Stayhaven had already built, we were able to give a brand-new listing the best possible start.

From a Difficult Tenancy to a High-Performing Summer Let

In just two weeks, Stayhaven helped transform a property that had suffered from a problematic tenancy into a beautifully presented, highly sought-after short-term rental.

And the numbers speak for themselves:

2 weeks to prepare95%+ occupancy£18,000+ generated in 2 months600+ Stayhaven Airbnb reviews4.7+ average Airbnb rating

For the owner, the result was more than just strong summer revenue. It was the opportunity to turn a previously difficult property experience into a successful income-producing asset.

Client and property details have been anonymised to protect privacy.