Serviced accommodation businesses can be harder to sell than a single hotel, because the value often sits in contracts, systems and people rather than in one building. Here is how to make yours easier to buy, based on our experience running Coorie Home Stays in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Be clear about what you control
Do you own the apartments, lease them or manage them for landlords? Each model is valued differently. Put together a simple schedule of every unit with its address, the agreement in place, its term and any break clauses.
Check licensing and compliance
Short term let licensing rules now apply in many parts of the UK, including Scotland. Make sure every unit has the licences, planning position and safety certificates it needs, and that they are easy to share.
Show performance unit by unit
Portfolio totals are useful, but buyers want to see which units carry the business. Monthly revenue, occupancy and average nightly rate for each apartment, ideally exported from your channel manager, will answer most early questions.
Document your systems
- Channel manager and pricing tools, and who controls the logins
- Guest messaging templates and check in process
- Cleaning and maintenance teams, and how they are paid
- Key contracts with landlords, cleaners and suppliers
A business that runs on clear systems is worth more, because a buyer can see that it will keep running after you step back.
Plan the handover
Think about how landlords and long standing guests will be told, and how forward bookings will transfer. A buyer who already operates serviced accommodation can make this almost invisible to guests.
This article is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Confidential, no obligation.
