Let’s discover together the world of short- and medium-term rentals

10 September 2023 Blog

The preferred choice of business managers

If you are a business manager who travels frequently for work, you know how important it is to find comfortable, practical and affordable accommodations in the cities you travel to. A hotel may be one solution, but it doesn’t always offer the level of privacy, flexibility and customization you desire. For this reason, more and more business managers are opting forshort- or medium-term apartment or house rentals, which offer many advantages over traditional rental or lodging facilities. Let’s see what they are.

What is short- and medium-term rental?

Short- and medium-term renting is a form of leasing that involves a written contract between the property owner and the tenant, for a limited period of time, ranging from a few days to a few months. It is a very flexible formula, allowing the landlord to dispose of the property when he or she wishes and the tenant to enjoy housing for residential use only, without having to bear the burdens and constraints of a long-term lease. Short- and medium-term rentals can be handled directly by the landlord, real estate agencies, or specialized online portals such as Airbnb, Booking, etc.

What are the advantages?

Short- and medium-term renting offers several benefits, both economically and qualitatively. Here are the main ones:

Savings: this is compared to the cost of a hotel or traditional rental, as the rent is usually lower and does not include incidental expenses such as condo, utilities, taxes, etc. In addition, you can take advantage of a fully equipped kitchen, which allows you to reduce catering expenses.

Comfort: short- and medium-term rental offers the opportunity to stay in a cozy environment, tastefully furnished and equipped with all the necessary amenities, such as wi-fi, air conditioning, washing machine, etc. You can also choose the type and size of the property according to your needs and preferences, having more space and privacy than a hotel room.
Flexibility: short- and medium-term rentals give you greater freedom to manage your time and activities, without having to adjust to the schedules and services of an accommodation facility. One can also change the length of stay according to one’s needs, extending or shortening it without difficulty.
Personalization: the experience one has in short- or medium-term renting is much more authentic, getting in touch with the culture and lifestyle of the place where one is staying. You can also benefit from advice and suggestions from the property owner or manager, who can point out the best attractions, activities, and restaurants in the area.

How to find and book a short- and medium-term rental?

To find and book short- and medium-term rentals, there are several options. The most dynamic and quickest one is to rely on specialized online portals, such as Airbnb, Booking, etc., which offer a wide selection of rental properties around the world, with photos, descriptions, reviews and prices. Just enter the destination, dates and number of guests, and you can view the various offers available, filtering by type, area, amenities, etc.

Once you have found the desired property, you can proceed with online booking, paying by credit card or other secure methods. The portal takes care of connecting the owner and the tenant, and providing all useful check-in and check-out information.

Another option is to turn to real estate agencies, such as ours, that deal with short- and medium-term rentals, which can offer greater assistance and guarantee to the client. In fact, real estate agencies select properties based on quality and safety criteria, and take care of all the bureaucratic and fiscal aspects of renting, such as contract registration, tax payment, etc. In addition, real estate agencies can offer additional services, such as cleaning, linen change, transfer to and from the airport, etc.

Finally, alast option is to search for the property owner directly, through online ads or word of mouth. This solution can be cheaper, but it can also be riskier, as you have less assurance about the quality and safety of the property, and you have to deal directly with the owner with all issues related to the contract, payment, etc.

The EU’s new rules

There has been talk for some time about changing or expanding regulations affecting short rentals, and indeed something is changing. Let’s look together at the main changes being studied as a result of theagreement reached between individual EU governments and the Strasbourg Parliament.

Simpler and more transparent registration: hosts of houses for short-term rental will have to register each of their properties on a special website created nationwide. Following registration, hosts will receive a registration number that will allow all information to be tracked, including the identity of the host and housing numbers.
Safer short-term rentals: online platforms will have to make public the host’s information and registration number to ensure maximum transparency for customers.
Transparent data and statistics: member states adhering to the new procedure on short rentals in the European Union will have to transmit data in single digital access point so that they have clear statistics.

Then there is another major debate in Italy that is stirring up tempers: the so-called “cedolare secca” which will be increased to 26 percent from the second rented property.

All this information we do not want to give it to scare anyone, but simply to make it clear that something is changing in this area, and that it is right to stay informed at all times to ensure the best possible service to our clients.

How to select ideal tenants for your short- and medium-term apartment in Milan.