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What Is a Mid-Term Rental? A Strategic Guide for Booking Extended Stays

Written by AltoVita Team | May 8, 2025 2:28:06 PM

Finding the right accommodation for assignments that extend beyond a typical short trip yet fall short of a full relocation can be a real hurdle. But there's a smart solution that's been quickly gaining traction: mid-term rentals. These flexible stays are a versatile answer to the nuanced needs of today's agile workforce.

In this blog, we’ll explore how these mid-term rentals can be a game-changer for your extended accommodation needs and how to leverage the right corporate accommodation solution to optimise mobility planning.

Mid-Term Rental Meaning and Definition

The essence of medium-term rentals lies in flexible housing, catering to professionals requiring accommodation for a specific period. Let's delve deeper into what this entails:

What Is a Mid-Term Rental?

A mid-term rental refers to furnished accommodation available for stays that stretch beyond a week and under a year. It offers a sweet spot between the flexibility of short-term housing and the commitment of long-term leases, providing a ready-to-live-in solution ideal for project-based work, temporary assignments, or those in-between relocation phases.

Mid-Term Rental vs. Short- and Long-Term Stays 

Unlike short-term stays, such as costly hotels booked on a nightly basis, mid-term rentals offer a more homely feel and often better value for longer durations. They sidestep the lengthy contracts and strict terms associated with traditional 12-month leases, giving you greater agility in travel management.

Serviced apartments, with their furnished offerings and additional services, can also be categorised as a type of mid-term rental when the booking duration falls within the typical mid-term range, highlighting the spectrum of flexible accommodation solutions available for your team.

What Does a Mid-Term Lease Typically Include?

Medium-term leases are designed with mobility in mind, allowing your team to focus more on workforce logistics rather than juggling accommodation complexities.

Typical Duration and Flexibility

Mid-term rentals generally cover stays from one to six months, offering a significant advantage in terms of flexibility. This timeframe accommodates a variety of assignment lengths, extensions, or early returns, without the stress of constant rebooking and financial penalties.

Mid-Term Rental Lease Agreement Essentials

While less rigid than a long-term lease, a mid-term rental agreement will clearly outline the rental period, the total cost and payment schedule, what utilities are included (if any), and the responsibilities of both the renter and the property provider. It helps simplify coordination and reduces the risks of miscommunication for all parties involved.

Template Expectations for Global Mobility Teams

For global mobility teams, a robust mid-term rental lease agreement template should clearly highlight aspects relevant to corporate stays. This helps streamline the booking process and ensures compliance with company policies. Ideally, a well-defined template contains:

  • Consistent frameworks: Uniform terms for rent payments, lease durations, and property conditions across all regions.
  • Customisable clauses: Flexibility to address local legal requirements and specific employee needs.
  • Length of stay: Number of days/months the employee is expected to reside for.
  • Furnishing and utility details: Clear documentation of what the lease includes to ensure transparency.
  • Security deposits and payment terms: Defined security deposit amount, accepted payment methods, and rent payment schedule (e.g., monthly), ensuring financial clarity and accountability for both parties.
  • Termination policies: Defined notice periods and conditions for early exits or renewals.

Why Mid-Term Rentals Work for Extended Stays

According to the 2024 GBTA BTI™ Outlook, 76% of business travellers are now travelling the same or more compared to 2019, indicating a strong return to corporate trips. This shift, alongside varying assignment lengths and the rising popularity of "bleisure" travel, emphasises the importance of adaptable accommodation options. 

Let's discuss why mid-term rentals, a key form of extended stay accommodation, are an increasingly popular choice for longer assignments.

Addressing the Needs of Relocating Employees

Mid-term rentals provide a comfortable and home-like environment for employees on extended assignments, offering more space and amenities than typical short-term options. This helps them settle in and maintain productivity, bridging the gap until permanent housing is secured.

Policy-Friendly and Cost-Efficient for Companies

For your bottom line, mid-term rentals present a more cost-effective solution compared to prolonged hotel stays, usually providing lower rates for extended stays. Here’s a better overview of how mid-term rentals can bring value to your company:

  • Predictable budgeting: Mid-term rentals typically have more stable or negotiable pricing structures than hotels or short-term rentals, which allows you to budget more accurately.
  • Simplified expense management: Mid-term rentals often bundle utilities, internet, and other services into a single monthly payment. This simplifies expense management and reimbursement processes for the finance team.
  • Compliance with duty of care: Such rentals are typically well-vetted, making it easier for companies to provide safe, comfortable stays and meet duty of care obligations.
  • Reduced operational hassle: Compared to short-term options, mid-term housing has fewer turnovers and requires less frequent cleaning and maintenance, resulting in reduced operational costs.

Where to Find Mid-Term Rentals

From online rental platforms to relocation service providers, there are numerous sources for mid-term accommodations. However, not all offer the consistency, quality, or duty of care global mobility teams require. So, where do you actually find these adaptable mid-term stays?

Mid-Term Rental Platforms and Sites

You can find various online mid-term rental sites, from general property portals to those specialising in flexible stays. However, for a streamlined experience tailored to global mobility teams, comprehensive platforms like AltoVita offer a curated selection of vetted properties with the features and compliance you require.

What to Look for in a Mid-Term Rental Partner

When choosing a partner for mid-term rentals, these are the key qualities to look out for in order to ensure a smooth experience for both your company and your employees:

  • Extensive and vetted inventory: Wide selection of quality, compliant properties worldwide.
  • Flexible lease terms: Adaptable lease lengths that can accommodate stays between one and six months, with potential for extensions or adjustments.
  • Streamlined booking process: A centralised, user-friendly platform for efficient search, booking, and management of stays.
  • Dedicated support and proactive communication: Reliable assistance throughout the booking and stay, supported by proactive hospitality operators that ensure efficient check-in/out and prompt issue resolution.
  • Company policy alignment: Solutions that are in line with your company's travel and accommodation policies, ensuring adherence and simplifying reporting.
  • Scalability and global reach: The ability to support your needs across various locations with a consistent standard of professionally managed properties.

AltoVita is designed to be that ideal partner, embodying these crucial qualities. Our corporate accommodation platform goes beyond generic booking sites to provide a scalable and policy-compliant solution that addresses the challenges of global mobility. 

AltoVita's Solution for Mid-Term Rentals

AltoVita reimagines corporate accommodation management with an innovative approach to securing mid-term rentals. Leveraging the power of AltoVerse, we offer a centralised and streamlined system for planning business trips, specifically designed to meet the unique needs of your mobile teams.

Global Inventory for Stays of 7+ Days

Gain access to over 7 million vetted units across 35+ countries, thoughtfully curated for corporate stays of 7 days or more. Whether you're managing relocations, project-based assignments, or long-term business travel, our diverse inventory ensures consistent quality, employee comfort, and unwavering duty of care, regardless of the destination.

End-to-End Visibility Through Our Self-Serve Platform

AltoVerse puts your mobility teams in control. Our intuitive self-serve platform offers instant search, streamlined booking workflows, and comprehensive reporting — all within a single, unified system. By combining proprietary technology with a human-centric approach, we deliver unparalleled visibility into your end-to-end accommodation management, ultimately elevating employee experiences.

Ready to Streamline Your Mid-Term Stays? 

Enhance your global mobility strategy with AltoVita. We eliminate the complexities of extended stay bookings, from transparent lease terms to seamless onboarding, by providing fully compliant, global rental solutions built for today's corporate mobility demands.