Almost 100 clients have used London estate agent Portico’s Airbnb service since launch in January, with just one case of damage.

The agent launched an Airbnb management service in January, allowing landlords and home owners to exploit the short stay website for empty properties – including those where the owners are away for a time, plus unsold and unlet properties.

A spokesman told EYE that almost 100 clients have used the service so far and there has been just one incident of damage that was rectified through a claim with Airbnb.

Users have been evenly split between landlords filling tenancy voids and home owners making use of empty properties.

All Airbnb hosts are covered by a guarantee run by Airbnb but Portico is also working on its own host cover.

The London agent has now launched a new service to stage the property in a way likely to appeal to Airbnb tenants.

Portico’s offering  looks after the entire Airbnb management process, from setting up the property listing, organising professional cleaning and hotel quality linens, arranging 24-hour check-in, handling guest bookings and communication, and dealing with all property maintenance.

The full service costs owners 20% of their earnings from the rental plus VAT. Those with furnished properties are charged 15% plus VAT.

Fiona Patterson, marketing director for Portico, said: “If you have a vacant property, you’re a landlord and find yourself with a gap between tenancies, or you’re away a lot and your home is often unoccupied, listing your property on Airbnb can be a great money maker.”