I bought my first buy-to-let when I was 19 – a tiny 10m² student room in a block of more than 225 units. It was all I could afford at the time, but it taught me quickly how challenging being a landlord in the UK could be. Between tenants and management companies, I got a crash course in what can go wrong.
A few years later, visa restrictions forced me to relocate from Manchester to South Shields. I had £2,000 in savings and rented a completely unfurnished two-bed flat. To cover costs after my old business was no longer viable, I furnished the spare room for £400 and listed it two days later on Airbnb. I was amazed, in the first month, income from Airbnb covered 80% of my rent and bills I previously didn’t know how to pay. That was the start of my serviced accommodation journey.
The first months were rough. I slept on a yoga mat in the empty main bedroom, with no sofa, no curtains, and no TV. By day, I washed dishes in a local pub, and by night, I threw myself into learning about short-term rentals. By month five, I’d secured three rent-to-rent properties. At that point, I had to quit the pub and go all in.
Today, HNFC Stays manages more than 33 active listings across Newcastle and the North East. We’re fast-growing, agile, and tech-heavy – using automation for pricing, listings, reviews, and task allocation. The goal is simple: boost landlord profits while cutting down unnecessary manual work.
Not long ago, we were approached by the owner of a small hotel that had sat empty for three months after poor previous management. The landlord was under significant pressure with mortgage payments, business rates, and bills were piling up too.
We stepped in for this new challenge, and within two weeks we relaunched all 20 rooms. Fifteen days later, the landlord received their first payout. By applying our serviced accommodation systems instead of a traditional hotel model, we’ve been able to run it lean and generate stronger profit margins.
HNFC Stays has been managing residential property since 2017 and serviced accommodation since 2020. In that time, we’ve picked up multiple excellence awards from Hotel.Social, Booking.com, and Airbnb. Most recently, we were named Best Serviced Accommodation Provider – Newcastle Upon Tyne 2025 for guest experience – a proud moment for the team.
The early days weren’t easy. We dealt with police involvement, damaged properties, and guests we’d never welcome back. But those challenges pushed us to put the right systems in place.
Today, strict guest screening, robust damage protection, and clear operating procedures keep both landlords and guests safe. Looking back, those painful moments built the resilience we needed to grow.
For anyone starting out in serviced accommodation, my advice is simple:
Find a mentor who’s years ahead of you – it’ll save you most of the expensive mistakes.
Get your structure right early. Building systems later is much harder than starting with them in place.
HNFC Stays is growing fast, and we’re actively looking for more complex projects – ex-hotels, large HMOs, and residential conversions. We’re also open to partnerships, joint ventures, or even acquisition conversations with the right people who share our values.
If you’re considering investing in serviced accommodation or want to turn around an underperforming property, I’d be happy to talk about how we can help.
Vee Venski
Property Manager
Mobile: +447867115372
Email: office@hnfc.co.uk
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