Interview with Founder & CEO, Alex Lyakhotskiy
What led you to start Pass the Keys?
In 2014, 9 of my classmates and I went on an exchange trip to California for four months and one of us put his London flat on Airbnb. He was making an astonishing amount of money but was always complaining about how much work it was to manage the property remotely. This indicated to me that there was a clear need in the market for a company to provide a complete short-let management service and take away the hassle from homeowners. This was where Pass the Keys was born!
What sets Pass the Keys apart from the competition?
We are proud to be the UK’s largest professional co-host of Airbnb, as well as the only short-let property management franchisor in the country. By continuing to improve our operations, technology, marketing and sales practices, we’ve made sure that our high standards are maintained for both hosts and guests – even through significant growth. Our quality of service is reflected in our ratings on various review platforms as well as in our 2019 nomination for Best Short-Letting Agency by the National Landlord Investment Show. We believe in empowering others to achieve the same success and are looking for entrepreneurial partners to build their own thriving short-let property management business using Pass the Keys’ brand, tools and support.
Why did you decide to join the British Franchise Association?
Since we first had the idea of franchising a couple of years after our launch in 2015, it has been a goal of ours to have our model approved by the UK’s voice of ethical franchising. Aside from recognition that we are doing things the right way, BFA membership also gives us access to valuable guidance and best practice manuals to ensure that we continue to become a better company every day.
What does the future have in store?
It’s an exciting time for Pass the Keys! We’re planning on further expanding our UK reach via our franchise programme and we will continue to support existing franchisees on their journeys to success. We will further develop our market-leading technology and identify other areas across the business for improvement. The hard work never stops!