Partner Article

FlatClub introduces new LiveDemand feature to reinvent short term rentals.

FlatClub, a London based short term property rental startup, geared towards students and alumni of top universities today announces the launch of their new feature LiveDemand, dubbed the ‘PriceLine’ of peer to peer rentals.

In traditional short stay marketplaces, hosts create listings and guests browse and book those listings. However with the addition of LiveDemand, FlatClub will also offer the inverse. LiveDemand features include:

• Guests may request dates, budget, location and special requirements.
• Guests search in advance, saving time.
• Hosts can browse requests to get the best matches for their guest preference and calendar availability.
• Hosts can easily make special offers to chosen guests.

Nitzan Yudan, CEO and Co-Founder of FlatClub said: “In the short stay market, the right match between guest and host is incredibly important. The main aim with LiveDemand is to open up a new side to our marketplace. Many guests benefit from special discounted offers and many hosts enjoy the ability to be proactive booking their calendars and find trusted guests by browsing their profiles. Additionally there is no extra cost incurred for guests to post requests or hosts to make an offer.”

“We anticipate it will be very helpful for individuals leaving for specific blocks of time additionally hosts who use LiveDemand receive up to 30% more bookings. First time hosts are twice as active because they relish the opportunity to make offers to potential guests rather than having to wait for guests to come to them.”

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, who launched LiveDemand during a visit to TechHub in Old Street said: ‘It’s a great idea, I like the concept very much and I can see why it’s great tool for homeowners as well as for visitors to London searching for a place to stay.“

Prior to launching LiveDemand, FlatClub trialed the feature with 400 selected hosts and got some remarkable feedback. Within the first four weeks more than 1000 requests were posted by guests looking for accommodation for an average of 61 nights. Cities with the highest demand were London, New York and Munich. The three types of host who used LiveDemand were:

• Private individuals with room available or flat whose main priority was finding a guest they could trust.
• Professional regular hosts willing to offer discounts to fill gaps in their calendar.
• Regular hosts who offered discounts for longer stays.

The launch comes a few weeks after Communities secretary Eric Pickles announced the end of rules that prevent the short-term renting of private homes. The quashing of outdated laws will mean Londoners can use home and room rental sites like FlatClub without fear of penalty.

With more than five million overseas visitors to the capital alone between July and September last year, the news will be well-received both by visitors to the capital and those who have a room or flat to let.

Yudan says of the reforms: “The announcement from Eric Pickles is great news for private individuals, LiveDemand will help those who are now free to let their home or room out short term to find a guest they trust as they can browse potential requests and make an offer only to trusted guests.”

FlatClub was formed in 2010 to fill a gap in the market for short-term renting within trusted networks. Unlike any other platform, the property owner in FlatClub can select who will see their listings - alumni of specific universities, employees of companies or friends of friends.

The London based startup now has 75,000 verified members, and features property from the alumni of more than 50 of the world’s top universities including UCL, London Business School, King’s College and New York University.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by VP .