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Pass the Keys and Sea Breeze sell the same kind of service: management of a short let, paid for by commission on bookings. They differ on price, on how the cleaning is paid for and on where they operate. Pass the Keys publishes a management fee from 18% plus VAT, invoices cleaning, linen and consumables on top, and works through local franchise partners. Sea Breeze charges a flat 16% of booking revenue and arranges the cleaning and laundry across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole through local companies the owner pays directly.
Every statement about Pass the Keys below is taken from its own website, checked on 30 September 2026. Where it does not publish something, this page says so.
The management fee
Pass the Keys states that its management fee for short-let services "starts from 18% + VAT of Net Booking Value", and defines Net Booking Value as the guest payment less the booking platform's commission. Its South West England page puts standard pricing at 20% plus VAT of rental income. It adds that fees vary by location, property type and service model, and that a local partner gives a tailored quote.
With VAT at 20%, a fee of 18% costs an owner who cannot recover VAT 21.6% of net booking value, and a fee of 20% costs 24%.
Sea Breeze charges a flat 16% of booking revenue, with no retainer and no monthly fee. We confirm the commission and any VAT in writing before you sign. The detail is on our pricing page, and our guide to agency commission shows how to put two quotes on the same footing.
Cleaning, linen and consumables
Pass the Keys' FAQ is direct on this: cleaning, linen and consumables are not included in the management fee. They are separate costs, invoiced to the owner for what Pass the Keys pays its third-party cleaning and linen providers. A cleaning fee charged to guests covers some or all of the cost, and consumables are charged per booking according to the number of beds. Owners see post-clean photos in the portal.
Sea Breeze does not clean or launder itself, and neither is part of our commission. We recommend trusted local cleaning and linen companies, the owner pays them directly, and we arrange and coordinate them if wanted. Owners with their own cleaner or linen supplier can keep them. We suggest three sets of linen per bedroom.
| Sea Breeze | Pass the Keys | |
|---|---|---|
| Who cleans | Local companies we recommend, or your own; paid by the owner directly | Third-party providers, coordinated locally |
| Laundry | A local linen and laundry company we recommend, or your own; paid directly | Third-party linen providers |
| Consumables | Confirmed in writing before you sign | Fee per booking, by number of beds |
| Maintenance | Arranged with trusted local tradespeople, or your own; paid by the owner directly | Coordinated; costs charged to the owner |
Set-up costs
Pass the Keys charges a one-off onboarding fee, "typically £149", which it says can vary by location. It covers a professional photographer, listing creation, connection to the booking platforms and initial pricing set-up. An initial clean is also deducted from the first invoice. It aims to onboard a property within two weeks.
Sea Breeze's onboarding fee is also one-off. It is not charged up front: it is deducted from the first month's rental income, and covers the professional photo shoot, creating the listings and a set-up visit. It varies with the size and location of the property and is quoted before you sign. A new listing is typically live within a week of the photographer's visit.
Contract and notice
Pass the Keys asks for a minimum initial term of six months. After that the contract rolls monthly, with one month's notice to leave. Elsewhere its FAQ says the minimum term is 6 to 12 months in most cases and depends on the local territory, so the figure to rely on is the one in the agreement your local partner gives you.
Sea Breeze asks for 45 days' notice, and bookings already taken are honoured or the owner pays the cancellation cost. After its initial term, Pass the Keys' one-month notice is shorter than ours.
This is a comparison of published terms, not legal or financial advice. Read any agreement in full before signing.
Local presence in Bournemouth
Pass the Keys describes itself as a national brand delivered by local franchise partners, each running a territory. When we checked, the location list on its website had no page for Bournemouth, Poole or Dorset, and its franchise recruitment site listed Bournemouth and Poole & Swanage among territories open to new partners. That can change, so ask whether it has a partner covering your postcode.
Sea Breeze is based at 557 Charminster Road and manages 100+ properties across the BCP area and wider Dorset and Hampshire. See Airbnb management in Bournemouth for the local detail.
Channels, support and protection
Both companies list on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and other platforms and run a direct booking site. Both provide an owner portal, guest communication and 24/7 support, though Pass the Keys notes that service availability can vary by location.
Pass the Keys offers two things we do not match on paper. Its Quality Guarantee, in selected territories, waives the management fee on a booking reviewed below 4 stars on Airbnb or below 7 on Booking.com. For bookings outside Airbnb it uses a verification and damage protection provider, Truvi, with a damage waiver or deposit paid by the guest. Sea Breeze screens guests through the platforms' own tools and relies on platform damage protection where it applies, such as Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts.
Which one fits
Choose Pass the Keys if your property is in one of its territories, if you own in several cities and want one brand, or if its published onboarding fee and guarantee matter to you. Choose Sea Breeze if the property is in or around Bournemouth and you want the lower headline rate, a local team that answers guests and arranges the cleaning, and the choice of paying the cleaner directly or keeping your own.
When you want figures specific to your property, send us the details through list your property.
