Some important facts about running your holiday home…
"We've been with Welcome for almost 10 years and have never
looked back. Welcome provide us with so many customers we
secured 50 weeks last year and our second let secured 43
weeks. They've been so successful we're currently converting
our third property for letting."
Alan and Nicky Hughes, Malvern, Worcestershire, UK (Property Ref.
W7164)
Today's holidaymakers rightly expect high standards in the
properties they rent, and our experience shows that meeting or
exceeding customer expectations is the best way to maximise the
income your property generates. Guests who really enjoy their
experience are far more likely to return another year, and they're
also far more likely to spread the word and recommend your property
to others.
Style
Style is a very personal thing, and what works best for you isn't
necessarily what works best in the letting market.
Appropriateness and subtlety are key, so try to create a simple
'look' that's in keeping with the property's age, location and
character. Expensive, painstakingly colour-coordinated décor
is to everyone's taste, and it's also difficult and costly to
maintain and unlikely to generate enough additional income to
justify its expense.
Keep it clean
Visitors expect clean and freshly aired properties with sparkling
windows and spotless appliances, especially in kitchens and
bathrooms. You'll need to make time to regularly and
thoroughly clean your property, or budget for a reliable
cleaner.
Gardens and pools
Gardens are a real selling point, particularly for families and
pet owners, but they must be kept in great condition. A private
area, garden furniture and barbeque are all attractive features
worth mentioning in your promotional materials, but you should
avoid any property with a pond or those whose only water source is
a well.
A heated indoor swimming pool is certain to boost bookings in any
area with a cold climate, but you should remember that it's likely
to be expensive to run and that safety and maintenance will be
entirely your responsibility. The same pros and cons apply
for outdoor pools in warmer regions.
Bathrooms
Nobody likes queuing for the toilet, so properties sleeping six or
more guests should have at least two of them. Bathrooms
should be tiled, well decorated and supplied with fresh
towels. If your bathroom doesn't feature separate units, then
a shower-over-bath will suit visitors in a rush as well as those
who like a long relaxing soak.
Sleeping arrangements
Whenever possible, a mixture of double and twin-bedded rooms works
best, coordinated bedding, fresh linen and solid beds with decent
mattresses and all essentials. It's also important to make up
the beds before your visitors arrive, no matter how many people are
staying. Finally, we advise against saving space by using
bunk beds because this is likely to restrict your bookings to
school holidays: most adults prefer not to climb a ladder into
bed!
Heating
To make sure your property is warm and comfortable in the colder
months, its essential; that it features a modern, safe and
efficient central heating system. Open fires are lovely and
they certainly add to the romance, but they're only appropriate as
supplementary heating. AGAs and similar solid fuel systems
will create the added complication of providing both sufficient
fuel and detailed instructions for visitors. Coin-operated
electricity meters are very off-putting and really mustn't be
used.
Double-glazed windows and well-insulated lofts are recommended to
help minimise your environmental impact and energy bills as well as
reduce the risk of winter freeze-ups. In warmer regions, air
conditioning is something more and more holidays look for in a
rental property.
Key factors
It's no fun getting lost after a long journey, so please make sure
your property is well signposted from the road and, ideally, lit up
at night. You should make sure there's plenty of parking
space available, and two sets of door keys for guests, as well as
spares for yourself.
Pets
With almost 22% of all holidaymakers taking their pets away with
them, excluding pets from your property may drastically restrict
your potential bookings. Also, please remember that you're
obliged to accept assistance dogs even if you choose not to accept
pets generally.
"Once our children had married, we had the time to indulge our
long held desire to develop a portfolio of holiday cottages near
our home in beautiful Northumberland. We decided to work with
English Country Cottages as our research showed that the service
and support they offered was far superior to any other
company."
Maureen and Trevor Ledger, Northumberland, UK (Properties, MOL,
MOF, MQF, MQK, MOE & W41406)
