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We sat down with a group of our experienced Property Managers and Advisors to grill them on the top questions asked by holiday home owners.
They’re always on the other end of the phone to help with any aspect of running a holiday let, and having helped hundreds of owners achieve the best results for their property, they’ve got plenty of knowledge to share.
General questions about holiday letting
What books better, a property which sleeps two or a larger property?
“The success of a holiday home very much depends on how it is presented and whether the price is correct for that market and area. Smaller properties are obviously very popular among couples and can enjoy good year-round bookings outside of school holidays. That said, larger properties can command higher prices and there are fewer of them so competition is less.
If you have a property in mind, we’d be more than happy to look at the particulars, and even go and have a look around with you to give you a good idea of the income you could expect.” Chantelle Brett, Senior Property Manager
If you're looking into buying a holiday let, take a look at our article 'Which type of property should I buy?'
Are short breaks a good thing?
“When priced correctly and set up in the right way, short breaks can be a really good way of filling gaps between bookings, and even generating a greater income over a given period. A short break booking is better than no booking at all, and by charging more than pro rata, it’s worth the extra little bit of work on changeover days. At holidaycottages.co.uk our pricing structure means that some owners are earning up to 170% revenue when they have back-to-back short-break bookings.” Belinda Withey, Property Manager
What can I do to my property to improve booking levels?
“This is a question asked by a lot of owners who are looking to join us and in most cases there are some quite simple changes they can make. Accepting dogs (see below) is one of them, as this will immediately increase the number of people interested in your property.
There are also several features you can add to your property to make it more attractive to bookers. Open fires or woodburners can help you earn 13% more revenue than average as they are popular during off-peak periods and over winter. Hot tubs are also a big draw for guests, you can expect around 34% more revenue than the average, and properties which sleep two can achieve up to 58% more annual revenue from higher prices and more bookings.
Sometimes smaller changes, such as refreshing the décor in a room or making tweaks to bed make-up or occupancy can result in significantly more bookings – the best thing to do is get in touch with us and we’ll guide you on how you can make the most of your property.” Beth Horswill, Property Manager
Should I accept dogs?
“We always say it’s completely your decision, but booking stats definitely support dog-friendly properties. Over 63% of our bookings are for properties which accept dogs. Dog owners make up a significant proportion of UK holidaymakers as it’s obviously easier to take your dog on holiday here than it is to go abroad. You can charge an extra small fee for bookings with dogs and you can specify the number you’re willing to allow in your property. Owners that I’ve spoken to are generally really happy with their decision to accept dogs, and the extra bookings they get as a result.” Danielle Nugent, Property Manager
For more information, read our article 'How to make your holiday property dog-friendly'.
Why is it better to let with an agency?
“Holiday letting agents such as ours are able to offer a much better online and offline visibility for your property than if you were to market it yourself. We invest millions in marketing and development to ensure that holidaycottages.co.uk and our other websites are found on the first pages of search engines when people are looking for a holiday online. This offers unparalleled exposure and saves you so much time and stress.” Sue Crouch, Property Director
How important is it that I install Wi-Fi?
“Nowadays, internet access is one of the most important criteria for guests. Even if they haven’t considered it before they book, it’s something they’re likely to mention in feedback if they find there isn’t any internet when they arrive. There are some really good value internet packages out there now too.” Abbie Jones, Senior Property Advisor
What legislation do I need to adhere to?
“Legislation surrounding furnished holiday lets is fairly straightforward, but it’s always best to consult an expert to make sure that you’ve covered everything. As a holiday home owner you have certain statutory responsibilities such as complying with fire safety and electricity regulations. You also need to make sure you meet regulations on gas appliances and carbon monoxide, as well as any additional requirements that come with features such as swimming pools and hot tubs.” Sue Crouch, Property Director
See our article ‘Legislation Made Easy’ for more information.
Specific questions about letting with holidaycottages.co.uk
How many bookings can I expect you to achieve?
“The number of bookings we get for you depends on your property, but we can confidently say that through astute pricing and expert marketing we make sure that your property reaches its full potential, both in terms of bookings and revenue. For some properties that’s well in excess of 40 bookings a year.” Belinda Withey, Property Manager
Will you come and visit my property?
“Yes, it’s really important that we visit your property and meet you in person, as we can then provide realistic projections for bookings and revenue. It helps us write the marketing description which will essentially ‘sell’ your property to customers. We also use this time to have a chat about your expectations, explain how we work with you and answer any questions you may have.” Chantelle Brett, Senior Property Manager
Why should I choose holidaycottages.co.uk over other agencies?
“Lots of our owners say that they value our personal approach, as some agencies can feel very faceless and are hard to get hold of. We’re always at the other end of the phone, and you’ll have your own, dedicated Property Manager, who will meet you face-to-face and work on your behalf to get the best results for your holiday home.
Many people are pleasantly surprised by the amount we actually do - we aren't just a booking agency, we will offer advice, help with improvements, resolve issues and generally make holiday letting as stress free as possible for you.
We never take on a property if we can’t see it’s potential, so you can rest assured that if we work with you, we are confident in delivering high booking levels.” Ben Bryson, Property Advisor
Can I use my property myself?
“Of course you can, it’s your property! Between November and the beginning of Easter you can use the property as much as you like, and the rest of the year you can take up to four weeks – two of these can be during peak periods. We do ask you to confirm these bookings with us first as we can then block them off in the availability calendar.” Fiona MacDonald, Property Manager
When will I get paid?
“We process payments three weeks in advance of guests arriving, unless the booking is last minute, in which case it will go in the very next payment run. You can keep track of all of your payments in your online Owner Account or with our Owner’s App.” Hayley Grigg, Property Manager
For information on pricing and payments, visit 'Money matters'.
Can you help me find a caretaker or cleaner?
“We have a huge list of recommended service providers, from holiday let cleaners to decorators and interior designers who we’ll happily put you in touch with. They are people our owners have worked with in the past, or personal recommendations, so you can expect a good service.” Danielle Nugent, Property Manager
Will you take the marketing photos?
“Yes, all of our Property Team are trained to take professional-style photos. This will be done during their first visit, and every time something changes, such as new furniture, or adding a new feature.
Good photos are essential for attracting bookings, so your Property Manager will bring along props and set the scene to help people envisage themselves on holiday there.” Sue Crouch, Property Director
If we haven’t answered your question here, please feel free to get in touch and we’ll get back to you shortly.
Posted by Clare on 27 June 2017