I run more than 50 Airbnbs and make £5,000 a month – I plan to retire aged 55

Natalia Soner, a 52-year-old woman based in Scotland, has built a thriving property management business through Airbnb, generating an average monthly income of £4,000 to £5,000. With plans to retire at age 55, Natalia has transitioned from a corporate HR role to a self-employed entrepreneur, managing over 50 rental units in and around Glasgow. Her journey began after years of feeling unfulfilled in her previous job, leading her to explore alternative career paths. Natalia previously worked as an HR consultant in the energy sector, earning £50,000 annually by 2018. During this time, she pursued several side hustles, including teaching dance and offering weight-loss consultations. Her decision to leave corporate life became more serious after she became pregnant with her daughter, Molly, in 2017. Natalia described feeling trapped in her job and believing she was meant for something else. This realization led her to resign from her HR position in 2019 and begin exploring opportunities in the short-term rental market. Starting with a small number of properties, Natalia eventually launched her own business, Pass the Keys Glasgow, which operates under a broader franchise model. The company manages short-term rentals for property owners who prefer to avoid the hassle of handling their own properties. Natalia handles all aspects of the business, including booking management, photography, advertising, and coordination with third-party services for maintenance and cleaning. To establish her venture, she invested £30,000, covering franchise fees and training expenses. Currently, Natalia oversees approximately 55 properties, primarily flats available on Airbnb, located in and around Glasgow. Property owners pay a 20% management fee, including VAT, for her services. In 2025, her business generated between £20,000 and £30,000 per month, with a total annual net booking value of £1.2 million. The average occupancy rate during that period stood at roughly 68%. By late 2025, her monthly net booking value averaged around £100,000, resulting in a personal take-home income of £4,000 to £5,000. Natalia expects the business to surpass £1.6 million in net booking value this year, with monthly turnover nearing £200,000. Despite her success, Natalia's path has not been entirely smooth. In 2022, her daughter Molly was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, requiring two years of intensive treatment. Throughout this challenging period, Natalia continued running her business while relying on support from a hired cleaner and operations manager. She shared that living with Molly during her illness necessitated a careful approach to minimize health risks, describing it as a difficult yet necessary adjustment. Compounding these challenges, new legislation in Scotland introduced licensing requirements for short-term rentals, affecting many property managers. While Natalia viewed the regulation as a positive step, she noted inconsistencies in how local authorities implemented the rules. In Glasgow, obtaining a license for short-term rentals became nearly impossible due to stringent regulations. As a result, Natalia lost all 45 of her properties in Glasgow in 2023, forcing her to restructure her business focus. Now, she concentrates on areas nearby, such as Paisley and Renfrewshire, where regulatory hurdles are less severe. Although her workload has increased compared to her previous corporate role, the financial stability gained from her new business has allowed Natalia to pursue her goal of retiring at 55. Despite the obstacles, she remains optimistic about the future of her enterprise and its potential for further growth.