Oliver Harper, founder and Managing Director of Harper Luxe Serviced Apartments, has decades of experience in property management and now oversees more than a dozen luxury properties. Harper Luxe focuses on creating “a home away from home” experience in Bedfordshire, with thoughtful details like spa-like bathrooms, designer furnishings, and sustainability initiatives, including planting a mangrove tree for every guest.

“I started in the construction industry when I was 15, working as what’s called a ‘hod carrier’. So, I used to work for bricklayers. But I had bigger visions, and I then went into carpentry and joinery, plumbing, and various other building trades… so I’ve been involved in a lot of property management over the years.

In 1991, I decided to set up my own property development company. We bought old, derelict houses and converted them. Then, clients were asking us to help them build their own property portfolios. And so we touched on finance and management.“

Finding a professional protection partner

As Harper Luxe grew, Oliver realized they needed reliable protection services from a company that understood their business model and could provide personalized service.

“If anything was to happen, we wanted to have a third-party protection company assist us. It was three or four years ago when I first started looking at third-party protection providers.”

After evaluating several options, Oliver found that most providers felt impersonal and didn’t understand the needs of smaller luxury operators. That’s when Harper Luxe discovered Truvi’s combination of screening and protection services.

Automated screening as a game changer

“Having a guest screening, and immediate response with whether or not they’re verified… was a real game changer for us.”

Harper Luxe uses a range of Truvi products, including Damage Deposit and Damage Waiver, but Oliver emphasizes how the automated Guest Screening process has been the most transformative for their operations.

“[Damage Waiver is] a safeguard, but it’s also a deterrent. So, whoever the incoming guests are, they have to go through a few steps to get screened. But I haven’t heard any problems with this — and may that continue!

Having a guest screening, and immediate response with whether or not they’re verified — having that automated system notifying us what we need to do and when we need to ask for further details — was a real game changer for us.”

The screening automatically verifies guest identities and checks for fake names and disposable emails — crucial for protecting the reputation Oliver has built over decades in the luxury market.

Why Harper Luxe stayed with Truvi

After working with multiple providers, Oliver found that Truvi’s personalized approach made all the difference for his small business.

“There’s obviously quite a few companies out there. The key reason I stayed with Truvi was the service that I had from the team.

It was more of a personal service than feeling like you were just a number within an insurance company. It made a huge difference to me, especially being a small business, knowing that I could work alongside another growing business, sharing similar values and views.”

Focus on guest experience and unique offerings

With automated screening handling security concerns, Oliver can focus Harper Luxe’s energy on what sets them apart: exceptional guest experiences and unique amenities.

“First of all, you need a good team in place. I’ve got really good, reliable team members around me… It’s also about having the appropriate product. I can honestly say, from my decades of experience in property, you need to have something unique.

We’re very much into wellness. We team up with a local company to offer guests free gym access when they stay with us. And we’ve now got a fleet of bicycles at the guests’ disposal, which they can use to explore all the bicycle paths around Bedfordshire.”

By automating guest verification and damage protection, Oliver and the Harper Luxe team can dedicate their time to creating the premium experiences that justify luxury pricing rather than managing security risks.

Ready to automate guest screening like Harper Luxe? See pricing and get started today.