Switching Airbnb Management Company in Manchester: A Step-by-Step Guide

Switching Airbnb manager in Manchester usually takes about as long as your notice period. Three things decide how smooth it is: what your current agreement says about notice, whose Airbnb account your listing sits on, and what happens to the bookings already on your calendar. Sort those three out first and the rest (keys, cleaners, photos) is a checklist.

We're Matt and Steph, and we've been hosting since we welcomed our first Airbnb guests in May 2017. Here's the honest version of how a switch works, whoever you're moving to, and what we do when an owner moves to us.

The short version

1. Read your current agreement. Find the notice period, any fixed term, any fee for leaving early, and how notice has to be given.
2. Find out whose account the listing is on. If it's on your own Airbnb account with the manager as a co-host, the listing, its reviews and its bookings stay with you. If it's on the manager's own account, they stay with the manager.
3. Agree what happens to future bookings, in writing, before you give notice.
4. Collect keys, codes and documents, and sort out cleaning and linen for the first stays after the handover.
5. Give notice in writing, let your new manager get everything ready during the notice period, and switch over on the day the old agreement ends.

Step 1: Check your notice period and term

Notice terms vary a lot between Manchester managers. From the terms each company publishes on its own website (checked October 2026):

• No notice period: HelloGuest says there's no contract commitment or notice period.
• 30 days: Pilot My Property lets you cancel any month with 30 days' notice.
• One month, either way: that's ours. Our agreement rolls month to month, and either of us can end it with one month's written notice.
• Fixed terms for a lower rate: 53 Degrees Property and Hostahome both charge less for a 6 or 12-month agreement and more on a rolling one. Valore's shortest published term is three months at 22% + VAT (its page also calls that rate flexible, so ask). Stayful's fee section says a 6-month fixed term with no exit fee.
• Guaranteed rent: these deals usually run much longer. CosyKey, for example, says its guaranteed rent agreements typically run three to five years.

If you're part-way through a fixed term, check what leaving early costs before you do anything else. If your agreement says how notice must be given, follow it exactly and keep a copy. Ours, for instance, accepts notice by hand, by post or by email, and an email counts from the day it's sent.

One more clause to look for: some agreements say you can't appoint another manager while the agreement is running. Ours does (clause 2.2). If yours has one, your new manager can get everything ready during your notice period, but shouldn't start taking bookings for your home until the old agreement has ended.

Step 2: Find out whose account your listing is on

This is the question that decides what you keep. Managers host listings in one of two ways.

On your own Airbnb account, with the manager as a co-host. The listing, its reviews and its bookings belong to your account. As AirROI puts it, in that model "the listing and its reviews stay with the home if the owner changes manager". To switch, you remove the old co-host and add the new one. Airbnb's help centre says a removed co-host loses access to the listing, the calendar and guest messages, and that you remain responsible for current and future requests, including ones the co-host accepted (checked October 2026). So make sure your new manager is in place to look after those guests from the same day.

On the manager's own host account. The listing belongs to their account, so its reviews and its bookings stay there when you leave, and your home gets a new listing with your new manager. Airbnb's help centre is clear that reservations can't be transferred to a new host or account (checked October 2026).

The same question applies on Booking.com and Vrbo, so ask your current manager which account each of your listings sits on.

With us, you choose. By default your home goes live on our established City Superhost host profile, so it launches with a track record behind it rather than starting from zero. If you'd rather the listing stayed in your own name, we can co-host it on your own Airbnb account instead. We'll talk through both on your call, including what happens to the listing if you ever decide to leave us: on our profile, the listing and its reviews stay with our account; on your own account, they stay with you.

Step 3: Agree what happens to future bookings

Bookings belong to the listing they were made on, so the plan depends on Step 2.

If the listing is on your account, the bookings stay put. Agree a handover date with both managers so that every guest after that date has someone answering their messages and a clean booked before they arrive.

If the listing is on your old manager's account, ask them in writing which stays they'll look after before your end date, and what happens to any booked after it. Bookings that can't be honoured once an agreement ends may have to be cancelled, and Airbnb or Booking.com may charge cancellation fees on them. Our own agreement says exactly that (clause 7.2), and yours probably says something similar, so ask who pays. Then block those dates on your new listing so nobody is double booked.

Either way, don't cancel a guest's booking yourself without checking first: cancelling can bring fees from the platform, so agree the plan before anyone cancels anything.

Step 4: Keys, codes, cleaners and linen

Keys and codes. Get back every key, fob and parking permit, plus the codes for any lockbox or smart lock. Change the codes once the old manager's last guest has checked out.

Cleaners. The cleaning team usually comes with the manager, so ask whether yours does. With us, guests pay a cleaning fee on every booking, and that covers the turnover between stays: the clean, fresh linen and restocking. Our cleaners also check the property after every stay and report any damage to us.

Linen and essentials. Ask whether your old manager's linen and towels leave with them. With us, we supply the bed linen, towels and consumables, and you provide the essentials on our list, such as duvets and pillows for every bed, a fully equipped kitchen, a washing machine, Wi-Fi and a TV. The full list is on our pricing page.

Certificates. Ask for copies of your gas safety certificate and EICR if your old manager arranged them. We need both before your home goes live.

Step 5: Photos, listing copy and your records

Photos. Ask whether you can keep the photos from your current listing. If not, you'll need new ones. With us, professional photography is part of the one-off £400 + VAT onboarding fee, along with your listing build and setup, so you don't need the old set.

Your records. Download your statements and booking history before your access to the old manager's system ends. They're useful for your accounts, and they help your new manager price your home from day one.

The practical details. Wi-Fi details, appliance manuals, the bin collection arrangements and the maintenance history all save time in the first month.

A realistic timeline

The notice period is usually the longest part. The managers we checked in October 2026 say they can go live within about one to two weeks of onboarding: Houst within a week once keys, photos and safety basics are ready, 53 Degrees Property within 7 to 10 days, and Stayful within 7 to 14 days. So for most switches the order looks like this:

1. Before you give notice: read your agreement, get quotes, and decide which account model you want.
2. The day you give notice: confirm the end date in writing, and ask your old manager for their plan for future bookings and a handover list (keys, codes, certificates, photos).
3. During the notice period: your new manager visits, photographs the home and builds the listing ready to switch on, while you sort out anything on the essentials list.
4. The final week: collect keys and codes, confirm who is cleaning for the last and first stays, and check the calendar blocks.
5. The end date: the old manager's access ends, and your new listing goes live, or your new co-host takes over your existing one.

If your old agreement has one month's notice, like ours, you could be fully switched in about a month.

What we do when an owner switches to us

• A free 15-minute call with Matt to look at your home and what it could earn. If self-managing is your better option, we'll say so. Ask for one through our contact form, or call 07523 840 013.
• Help planning around your notice period, so bookings carry on as smoothly as possible.
• A walk through our full agreement before you sign. The fee is 15% + VAT per booking, with no monthly minimums, and you can see exactly what it covers on our pricing page or how it compares with other Manchester managers.
• One onboarding fee: £400 + VAT, once, for professional photography, your listing build and setup.
• Your choice of account: our established host profile, or co-hosting on your own Airbnb account.
• A coordinated handover: we work through the calendars, guest messages, cleaning and keys with you.
• Then the day-to-day: daily pricing, 24/7 guest communication, cleaning and linen, maintenance with local trades, an owner app where you can see your calendar and block your own dates, and a monthly statement with payment within 14 working days of each month end.

And if it ever stops working for you, it's one month's notice either way. We'd rather keep you by doing a good job than by contract terms.

You can read more about our Airbnb management in Manchester, or get in touch and tell us where your property is and who manages it now.

Frequently asked questions

How much notice do I need to give my Airbnb manager?

Whatever your agreement says, so check it first. In Manchester, published terms run from no notice period (HelloGuest) to 30 days (Pilot My Property) to one month either way (City Superhost), and some managers charge a lower rate if you commit to 6 or 12 months (checked October 2026).

Will I lose my Airbnb reviews if I switch manager?

It depends on whose account the listing is on. If it's on your own Airbnb account and your manager is a co-host, the listing and its reviews stay with you. If it's on your manager's own account, the reviews stay with them and your home starts again on a new listing.

Can I take my future bookings with me?

If the listing is on your own account, yes: the bookings stay on your listing and your new manager looks after those guests. If it's on your old manager's account, Airbnb says reservations can't be transferred to a new host or account, so agree in writing which stays they'll honour and who pays any cancellation fees.

How long does it take to switch Airbnb management company?

Usually about as long as your notice period. The managers we checked say they can go live within about one to two weeks of onboarding, and the preparation can happen during your notice period.

What does it cost to switch to City Superhost?

A one-off £400 + VAT onboarding fee, which covers professional photography, your listing build and setup. After that it's 15% + VAT per booking, on a rolling agreement with one month's notice either way and no monthly minimums. If your old manager can't honour some future bookings, Airbnb or Booking.com may charge cancellation fees on those, so ask about that before you give notice.