Is your Oban property sitting empty? Short-term letting could be the smarter choice.

There are thousands of properties across the Scottish west coast that sit empty for large parts of the year. Their owners pay the mortgage, the insurance, the council tax, and the ongoing maintenance costs, and in return, get a few weeks' personal use each year and a property that largely sits waiting.

This is, of course, completely understandable. We know that managing a holiday let from a distance can feel complicated, and who wouldn’t want to have their own Oban base to come to for those summer breaks?

But in a town like Oban, where tourism is growing strongly year on year and demand for high-quality accommodation consistently outstrips supply, leaving a property idle is increasingly difficult to justify financially.

There are costs attached to unused properties

Before looking at what a property could earn, it's worth being clear about what an unused property costs.

If there's a mortgage on the property, that obligation obviously exists whether or not the property is generating income. But beyond that, council tax applies, building and contents insurance applies, and maintenance doesn't pause because no one is staying.

Plus, if the property sits empty for extended periods, it can actually deteriorate faster. Properties benefit from being lived in and regularly checked.

In short, there is no genuinely cost-free option. The question is whether you want your property to generate income that offsets (and potentially exceeds) those costs, or whether you'd prefer it to remain a pure expense.

Is your property sitting empty?

Oban is a strong market for holiday letting

Oban was named Scotland's Town of the Year in the 2024 Scotland Loves Local Awards: recognition of its growing profile as one of the country's most appealing visitor destinations.

As the gateway to the islands, with regular CalMac ferry services to Mull, Lismore, Kerrera, Colonsay, and beyond, Oban draws visitors from across the UK and internationally throughout the year. The combination of stunning coastal scenery, outstanding seafood, whisky distilleries, wildlife experiences, and island access means the town has broad appeal across multiple types of traveller.

Crucially, the demand isn't confined to the summer months. Oban attracts visitors year-round, which makes it a more viable market for short-term letting than more seasonally concentrated destinations.

You don’t have to give up personal use

One of the most common concerns from second home owners is the fear of losing access to their own property. With a well-managed short-term let, that simply isn't the case.

Owner blackout dates (periods when the property is blocked from bookings for personal use) are a standard part of how professionally managed holiday lets operate. You decide when you want to use the property, those dates are blocked, and everything else is managed around them.

You can keep the property, and your holidays where you get to enjoy it for yourself. You just stop funding them entirely out of your own pocket.

So what does full management mean?

The other barrier is operational. Managing bookings, communicating with guests, coordinating cleaning between stays, handling maintenance, and managing reviews. When you look at the full list, it feels like a second job.

Professional management exists precisely to remove that barrier. At Oban Holiday Lets, we handle everything: listing creation and optimisation across multiple platforms, dynamic pricing to maximise your income, all guest communications, check-in coordination, housekeeping, maintenance, and regular reporting so you can see exactly how your property is performing.

You don't need to be available or know anything about Airbnb algorithms or turnover schedules. You can just receive your earnings and your monthly statement.

We're always in favour of more people getting to see the beautiful Oban sunset.

What could your property earn?

The income from a holiday let will largely depend on the property. Its size, location, specification, and condition all affect achievable rates and occupancy. But across our managed portfolio in Oban, we achieve an average occupancy rate of 75%, which is approximately 25% above the local market average.

We offer free, no-obligation earnings estimates for properties in Oban and the surrounding area. If you'd like to understand what your property could realistically generate, get in touch, and we can talk you through a personalised assessment. Speak to us today.