holiday cottages/barn conversions

[exmoor dave]

We turned our two cottages in to holiday lets years ago but back to tenants now and happier for it.

What's worth considering are: the peak rates are very high....but you only get them at the peaks- xmas,Easter &summer hols.

They are easy to let at the peak times but difficult off peak BUT you still need to heat them etc. Ours are old stone cottages, no double glazing (not allowed by the .NT) &All electric heating. Heating has to be kept on in ours (not in the summer) to keep the damp at bay.

No matter how "nice" people are, some will nick all sorts. Some will have no respect for the house and leave all manner of mess.

No matter what you have to drop everything to do change over day (Saturday normally) you literally have <8hrs to clean everything, change bedsheets towels etc etc, make repairs. Cut lawns etc etc. I mean drop everything- not even harvest is a excuse but round here there are businesses that advertise doing "change over day".

Parents WILL send kids off in the direction of the yard (by them selves &un-announced) for YOU to babysit.

And god are people whiners!! (&we genuinely ran nice cottages and mum worked hard)

Not meaning to put anyone off. They do have potential esp if you have a wife/partner who doesn't work or works part time.

We gave up. But don't see it as a waste of money. It bought both cottages up to scratch. I moved in to one at 19 & we let the other for approx £600/ month. We have strict conditions on tenants and we find long term tenants are happy to do minor repairs.

 

[Jerry]

We have 5 converted barns.

2 were old pig sty’s and are a very simple one bed, with open plan living room/kitchen and shower room. First converted approx 25 years ago.

The three others are grade 2 listed stone barns built in 1846, 2 two beds and one 3 bed. First converted about 12 years ago, last about 7 years ago. We have a further 5 to do going up to 4 beds in size. One is currently underway and will be another 3 bed.

The 2 original ones we converted as holiday lets to run along side the 5 van caravan club site but after about 4 years we chopped that in and let them to long term tenants. Mum found it just too busy to manage change over days and it was not easy to advertise per the internet so there were long voids at times and low season was pretty much no use despite a good location near the coast and Exeter.

The other 3 were always intended for long term tenants.

We did all the work ourselves with just bought in tradesmen when we need them. We also made a point of using home sourced material when we could, so all the wood for the floors and doors came from the farm as an example.

The result is we now have the 5 properties fully let and we have not had a void of more than 4 weeks in over 15 years. Some tenants have been with us for many years, current longest is just over 5 years. Monthly rentals vary from £300 to over £1,100 per month.

Our location certainly helps but we also make sure the properties are well looked after. Regular maintenance and decoration and we look after the gardens for the tenants to ensure things look tidy on the outside.

We are very particular about who rents from us. References are followed up, we are strict about no pets and generally look for just adults. Anyone steps out of line and they are informed immediately so they know where the boundaries lie.

We give each property an annual spruce up inside where needed. Often that is just a lick of paint or floors being resanded and waxed.

At the point of a void we will take a couple of weeks to go through properly, a deep clean using professional cleaners and then redecoration throughout as required.

I would be very happy if tenants stayed more than a year and indeed most do. We do get an element of churn in the 2 original properties as they tend to attract those saving for their fist home.

Location is important, and find a good agent to help you if you need the support to begin with. They take some of the headache away.

Also have a word with your accountant to make sure you treat the costs correctly and also have an eye on IHT planning as you can create a significant asset.

 

[brynseiri]

Long term tennants on six month agreements renewed would be better than tourists. What does everyone do more of when on holiday? Exactly, and you have to change the bed sheets after a weeks hard use, eugh.

 

[roscoe erf]

Is it possible or easy to change planning on holiday cottage to long term rental residential

 

[Penmoel]

Is it possible or easy to change planning on holiday cottage to long term rental residential

Depends on your local authority, if you were in Ceredigion forget it, they give planning for holiday cottages but not full time houses. For a neighbour they even refused previously given PP in one instance and made it holiday accom next time.

 

[Shetlandsheep]

Best thing is to try to get planning without the restriction if you can, giving the flexibility but that might not be possible. Used to be restricted was the only way in our area but the recent changes to planning with the local plan (which we waited for before applying) meant that if there was an existing structure on the site to be reused they were much more open to allowing usage and extension (mind you they treat it as new house for planning gain purposes £££). Managed to get ours through witihout a holiday restriction.

 

[Penmoel]

Best thing is to try to get planning without the restriction if you can, giving the flexibility but that might not be possible. Used to be restricted was the only way in our area but the recent changes to planning with the local plan (which we waited for before applying) meant that if there was an existing structure on the site to be reused they were much more open to allowing usage and extension (mind you they treat it as new house for planning gain purposes £££). Managed to get ours through witihout a holiday restriction.

I am afraid Ceredigion Planning have they heads buried in the sand

 

[Shetlandsheep]

I am afraid Ceredigion Planning have they heads buried in the sand

It's odd isn't it, you would think they would like permanent residents spending money all year round just as much as tourists supporting a narrower range of business for only part of it.

Our farmer neighbours were much happier to see our place restored and lived in as a permanent home than as a holiday home even just for us to use.

 

[roscoe erf]

I am afraid Ceredigion Planning have they heads buried in the sand

Don't think carmarthen are that forward thinking have a application with them that's been in the system nearly a year and still no decision

 

[Penmoel]

It's odd isn't it, you would think they would like permanent residents spending money all year round just as much as tourists supporting a narrower range of business for only part of it.

Our farmer neighbours were much happier to see our place restored and lived in as a permanent home than as a holiday home even just for us to use.

Planners have a blinkered view, in this county they would rather see old farm buildings fall to rack and ruin before giving planning to restore as homes, surely they are more of an eyesore as dilapidated ruins than as nice homes in rural areas which would generate a lively rural community and keep the schools open. they have it their mind that rural villages should be kept as they are , so that they can then close the village school as well

As I told @jade35 in another topic, the reason we have so many bungalows in Ceredigion is because the planners have nothing upstairs

 

[roscoe erf]

You mean they are all called bungalow bill

 

[brynseiri]

Planners are about one thing - power, the ideal candidate for a council planning officer is someone who was A. Bullied at school, B. abused by the local priest or C. Was jealous of the other kids who got their gcse's at school, and the spent the next five years at tech learning the three r's before getting in to the council on an apprenticeship, making the tea for years until the one boss there who has the sense to keep them in a low position retires and then the lunatics really do take over the asylum. The trick is to get a decent, razor sharp planning consultant in from the beginning, who can easily outwit these idiots, and to go all the way.

 

[Jock]

As I told @jade35 in another topic, the reason we have so many bungalows in Ceredigion is because the planners have nothing upstairs

Converted our old steading to housing a few years back.
Architects view was that there are ways around getting most things you want as planning officers were basically thick.
The trick is to make them think they are getting one over on you by proposing something a bit OTT in your plans then settling on what you wanted all along!

 

[rob1]

If the new pd proposals go through it will end all this nonsense.

@roscoe erf Why dont you just appeal for non determination, or at least threaten them with doing so and go for costs

 

[roscoe erf]

If the new pd proposals go through it will end all this nonsense.

@roscoe erf Why dont you just appeal for non determination, or at least threaten them with doing so and go for costs

Have done but did not want to rock the boat too much

 

[rob1]

Have done but did not want to rock the boat too much

That doesn't sound like the you we know on here

 

[roscoe erf]

That doesn't sound like the you we know on here

Thanks but you know the type of power hungry planners you get might have to put in some more so will go a bit easier on them

 

[roscoe erf]

We have this old barn that something could be done with, unfortunately it had its original slates replaced by tin sheets years ago.

The upfront cost for no guaranteed return is off putting though. Has anyone converted a barn into a wedding venue?


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Have you gone any further @Daniel

 

[Daniel]

Have you gone any further @Daniel

No, no idea what to do with it and too many other things on the go. Are you doing something then?

 

[roscoe erf]

No, no idea what to do with it and too many other things on the go. Are you doing something then?

We've toyed with the idea but don't think our yard is suitable it's the massive outlay that really holds you back