Thank you so much for the clarity and for pointing that out — you’re absolutely right. I appreciate you correcting the terminology — I now understand that what I’m really trying to do is start a short-term rental business using platforms like Airbnb, and specifically through rental arbitrage here in South Africa.
To be fully transparent:
This is part of a wider business growth strategy — I already run a small business in the ICT/contracting space, and I’m looking at diversifying my income streams.
I’m still early in my research phase, which is why I joined this community — to learn from people with real experience and avoid making avoidable mistakes.
To answer your questions:
Regulations in South Africa: I’ve started researching this. From what I’ve seen so far, short-term rentals are generally allowed in many parts of Gauteng, though some body corporates (in sectional title apartments) might restrict subletting.
I’m also looking into municipal by-laws and planning to speak directly to landlords to ensure I have written consent before doing anything.
If Bookings Don’t Cover Costs: That’s a key risk I’m aware of. To reduce that, I’m Planning to start with one small unit only to test demand before scaling
Looking at high-traffic areas like Sandton or Hatfield where demand is more consistent
Building a cash-flow buffer, even if small, and exploring partnerships instead of long-term leases to reduce fixed risk
Also considering co-hosting first before jumping into rental arbitrage
I’m here not just to “try something” but to build something sustainable — and I’d genuinely value any advice or mentorship you (or others) might offer as I take this step forward.
Thanks again for the constructive feedback!
