This month marks a major milestone for us at Pass the Keys - 10 years since we launched with a mission to transform short-term letting in the UK. What started as a simple idea to help busy homeowners has grown into a national franchise network, a powerful tech platform, and one of the most trusted brands in holiday-let and short-let management.

A decade of achievements

Back in 2015, our founder, Alexander Lyakhotskiy, set out to solve the operational headaches of short-letting. Fast forward ten years and we’re now operating in over 70 locations, managing 2,000+ properties and having welcomed more than half a million guests.

We’re proud to say that our franchise model, launched in 2019, has helped over 60 local entrepreneurs build thriving businesses under the Pass the Keys brand. Together, we’ve raised the bar for what short-let management can look like: seamless, reliable, and guest-ready, every single time.

“It’s incredible to reflect on how far we’ve come,” says Alex. “We started out wanting to simplify the letting process, and now we’re supporting dozens of brilliant franchise partners who are building their own success stories across the country.”

With ratings of 4.8 on Trustpilot and 4.9 on Google, our team’s commitment to quality service hasn’t gone unnoticed, and earlier this year, that recognition reached new heights when both Airbnb and Booking.com participated in our annual partner conference.

Milestones we’re proud of:

• 2015: Launched in London
  
  
• 2016–2018: Built our proprietary tech and expanded company-owned territories
  
  
• 2019: Rolled out our franchise model
  
  
• 2020–2021: Navigated COVID-19 with resilience
  
  
• 2022–2023: Rapid franchise growth across the UK
  
  
  • Finalist: BFA Emerging Franchisor of the Year
    
    
  • Winner: Shortyz – Best Drive to Market Operator
    
    
  • Winner: STAA – Best Use of Technology
    
    
  • Winner: Virtual Franchising Awards – Franchisor of the Year
    
    
• 2024: Launched Franchise Success Managers to enhance franchise support
  
  
• 2025: Named a Top 100 Franchise by Elite Franchise Magazine
  
  

The road ahead

As we step into our second decade, the focus remains firmly on continuing to set the standard for quality in professional short-let management.

“The industry’s evolving fast,” says Alex. “Regulations are changing, guest expectations are growing, and hosts are looking for expert support they can trust. We’re in a strong position to lead that change.”

We’ve laid the groundwork. Now we’re scaling with intention - growing our network, enhancing our tech, and continuing to put people at the heart of everything we do.

Interested in joining our network or using our services?

 👉 Visit passthekeys.com