Holiday lets tips and advise

[Rowland]

Mine must qualify as I had to resubmit in 2016 for business rates along with the relief for small business.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Last few years my bookings are up year on year I'd be disappointed with under 40 weeks ! Price has a factor in this but I'd say quality cleanliness along with fixtures and fittings TV's in bedrooms wifi sky or something similar good range of kitchen ware from glasses to pizza wheel plenty of pans etc once again good quality not from the pound shop .good beds mattresses and bedding not your old stuff . White is good as if it gets stained bit of bleach/mr muscle in the wash and hey presto. Toiletries in bathrooms .

I can't get near 40 weeks! Can I see your cottage please?

 

[Still Farming]

You crack one thing and they put others on you.
They want to chase the wasters working from home and people letting a cottage or barn down their garden out that DO NOT have their name down so DO NOT pay F all !

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Oxfordshire. Lovely county. Thames Valley rents for a quality & I mean quality three bedroom rental property with long or short term lease. Go with a quality letting agency who will vet clients properly. They take a sensible deposit & you are looking in the region of £15k upwards per annum. You may be lucky & get more but that's the average. If you have the correct size & there's a military establishment nearby there's the opportunity to be on their list. You have to met the criteria though. Officers are a notoriously competetive lot & the houses that their people look at are of an equality suited to the rank of said tenant.
Hoilday lets are good for similar income BUT YOU have to do a lot of the leg-work. Four hours cleaning per let is an average. Ok if you are not busy but you need to keep the place exceptionally clean. airbnb have a cleanliness rating system so you can see who your potential guests are & if they're not clean you can block your visit.
Letting property is hard work & not an easy buck with a lot of input but don't be put off by reports from the lower end markets.
SS

 

[Still Farming]

Oxfordshire. Lovely county. Thames Valley rents for a quality & I mean quality three bedroom rental property with long or short term lease. Go with a quality letting agency who will vet clients properly. They take a sensible deposit & you are looking in the region of £15k upwards per annum. You may be lucky & get more but that's the average. If you have the correct size & there's a military establishment nearby there's the opportunity to be on their list. You have to met the criteria though. Officers are a notoriously competetive lot & the houses that their people look at are of an equality suited to the rank of said tenant.
Hoilday lets are good for similar income BUT YOU have to do a lot of the leg-work. Four hours cleaning per let is an average. Ok if you are not busy but you need to keep the place exceptionally clean. airbnb have a cleanliness rating system so you can see who your potential guests are & if they're not clean you can block your visit.
Letting property is hard work & not an easy buck with a lot of input but don't be put off by reports from the lower end markets.
SS

Or Top end Markets !

 

[ollie989898]

Personally I'd rather an up-to-date availability calendar online rather than lots of wild goose chases ringing people only to find it's booked for when I want to go.

Our last three breaks have all been booked on Airbnb, and family and friends are letting accommodation on it - good experiences all round. Airbnb ranges from spare rooms to holiday cottages and b&bs and beyond, and is definitely worth considering for at least one of your advertising methods.

That is fine, but with air bnb you don't have any control over who turns up.

 

[Dairyfarmerswife]

That is fine, but with air bnb you don't have any control over who turns up.

I'd argue you have more control - if you don't have instant booking turned on, you have to actively approve each booking. Because each Airbnb member has a profile and guests as well as hosts are reviewed, you know more about your guest then one who rings up. Having used it, I really appreciate the community feel I get from it.

There is definitely more control with Airbnb than taking bookings through Sykes, or your own website.

 

[Riverblue]

I'd argue you have more control - if you don't have instant booking turned on, you have to actively approve each booking. Because each Airbnb member has a profile and guests as well as hosts are reviewed, you know more about your guest then one who rings up. Having used it, I really appreciate the community feel I get from it.

There is definitely more control with Airbnb than taking bookings through Sykes, Airor your own website.

Yes you have more control with Airbnb, and a better quality of guest too.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

@ollie989898 Do you/have you ever used the airbnb platform? With such a sweeping statement I doubt you have In all honesty I find it a pleasurable experience.

So far & luckily, I've only had one messy visitor. They have since returned as I have been at it long enough now & they were as tidy as any one else, because folk don't like a poor rating. Some are new to the concept & are unsure of how to behave & I still have an 'elf & safety briefing for every visitor which is also an introduction to the delights of sunny Suffolk for those who've not been before.

Some guests are so tidy there's only a little bit of cleaning to do as the've taken off the sheets, put the towels in the laundry basket & cleaned the cooker & sink. I still take time then to clean the places I didn't last time as I value my 'Superhost' status. 40 weeks.....I'm just over this & have to scratch out weekends for friends & family which is a good system. Keeps it focussed.
I have had visitors from all over the world & from the four corners of the uk. So I've had some great conversations.
Not everyone wants to visit Suffolk so there's plenty of scope for other hosts to enjoy a range of visitors. So @ewebarn if you can offer a pleasant spot for folk to visit Oxfordshire they'll come (A bit like Kevin Costner's film The Field of Dreams) Remember the KISS principal with internal services.
By the way it has taken me six years to get to this point as I started from scratch! Like getting PP for four half standing walls. No roof

@Rowland I have no TV & no wi-fi so it's not always necessary. I have a farm/smallholding walk, a star gazing spot & a fabulous selection of wild-life to see which I feel tops the electronic entertainment. Those who have stayed with a view to visiting Minsmere are pleasantly surprised. So am I

SS

 

[Rowland]

@ollie989898 Do you/have you ever used the airbnb platform? With such a sweeping statement I doubt you have In all honesty I find it a pleasurable experience.

So far & luckily, I've only had one messy visitor. They have since returned as I have been at it long enough now & they were as tidy as any one else, because folk don't like a poor rating. Some are new to the concept & are unsure of how to behave & I still have an 'elf & safety briefing for every visitor which is also an introduction to the delights of sunny Suffolk for those who've not been before.

Some guests are so tidy there's only a little bit of cleaning to do as the've taken off the sheets, put the towels in the laundry basket & cleaned the cooker & sink. I still take time then to clean the places I didn't last time as I value my 'Superhost' status. 40 weeks.....I'm just over this & have to scratch out weekends for friends & family which is a good system. Keeps it focussed.
I have had visitors from all over the world & from the four corners of the uk. So I've had some great conversations.
Not everyone wants to visit Suffolk so there's plenty of scope for other hosts to enjoy a range of visitors. So @ewebarn if you can offer a pleasant spot for folk to visit Oxfordshire they'll come (A bit like Kevin Costner's film The Field of Dreams) Remember the KISS principal with internal services.
By the way it has taken me six years to get to this point as I started from scratch! Like getting PP for four half standing walls. No roof

@Rowland I have no TV & no wi-fi so it's not always necessary. I have a farm/smallholding walk, a star gazing spot & a fabulous selection of wild-life to see which I feel tops the electronic entertainment. Those who have stayed with a view to visiting Minsmere are pleasantly surprised. So am I

SS

I'm not in the game of criticising others and how they run there lives/businesses. I try and put forward what I do and how I do it with the least cause to offend others . I try and not to get into pointless online arguments ( often after a beer on a weekend I may ) .
The target customer I'm after is the family market . I provide broadband wifi in the properties I let . If they don't what to use it that's fine by me

 

[suffolksmallholder]

I'm not in the game of criticising others and how they run there lives/businesses. I try and put forward what I do and how I do it with the least cause to offend others . I try and not to get into pointless online arguments ( often after a beer on a weekend I may ) .
The target customer I'm after is the family market . I provide broadband wifi in the properties I let . If they don't what to use it that's fine by me

Eh?
Dear @Rowland I'm only saying, not arguing & just pointing out that one doesn't need all the gizmo's. A local farmers wife was complaining that to keep her 5* rating she had to keep up with the electronics. I find these are really not necessary ( often unreliable, particularly in the woop-woops) & did say to her just this. Still if you wish to take umbrage that's entirely up to you

Some folk who are thinking of going into the letting business may be put off by the MUST-HAVE-THE-ELECTRONICS attitude. I'm putting forward another perspective. Simples. If you want to press the ignore button feel free. Anyway ollie989898 does like to make sweeping statements & he knows I'm not an angry person. I'm just calling him out.
SS

 

[Dairyfarmerswife]

Some guests are so tidy there's only a little bit of cleaning to do as the've taken off the sheets, put the towels in the laundry basket & cleaned the cooker & sink

That's what I meant by the community feel. Because it's billed as someone's 'place' we have felt more of a responsibility to leave the place tidy than perhaps we would in a hotel. A lot of Airbnbs we stay in have lots of essentials for cooking too. Not just milk and bread but olive oil, salt, sometimes even rice and pasta, coffee tea and cereal. All included (or hidden!) in the price. Much nicer than paying for a pricey welcome pack. We have purposely restocked stuff we have used, in the knowledge that we are paying it forward to the next guests.

Sorry, that's a bit OT but I think Airbnb will totally change the self catering holiday market over the next few years.

 

[bobk]

Holiday lets.......... ffs I'd sooner do livery

 

[suffolksmallholder]

That's what I meant by the community feel. Because it's billed as someone's 'place' we have felt more of a responsibility to leave the place tidy than perhaps we would in a hotel. A lot of Airbnbs we stay in have lots of essentials for cooking too. Not just milk and bread but olive oil, salt, sometimes even rice and pasta, coffee tea and cereal. All included (or hidden!) in the price. Much nicer than paying for a pricey welcome pack. We have purposely restocked stuff we have used, in the knowledge that we are paying it forward to the next guests.

Sorry, that's a bit OT but I think Airbnb will totally change the self catering holiday market over the next few years.

Oh, bless you for the re-stocking!
I provide fresh free-range eggs, a selection of breakfast cereals, juice, milk (Almond mild for the vegans who visit if they tell me) Tea, coffee, brown & white bread & some alternative tea too, & if anything others have left looks ok & is still within the sell-by-date I leave it in the cupboards. Yes there's olive oil, kitchen roll, salt pepper & all sorts of everything else that I can't remember
Only thing I don't provide as some our family have allergies is shower gel, so there's only pure soap. No shampoo or things-in-a-squeezy-container. Just in case.
I agree & I believe this is the way forward. We've really enjoyed each & every guest.
SS

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Holiday lets.......... ffs I'd sooner do livery

No, no. Livery are way, way, way worse.
SS

 

[Rowland]

Eh?
Dear @Rowland I'm only saying, not arguing & just pointing out that one doesn't need all the gizmo's. A local farmers wife was complaining that to keep her 5* rating she had to keep up with the electronics. I find these are really not necessary ( often unreliable, particularly in the woop-woops) & did say to her just this. Still if you wish to take umbrage that's entirely up to you

Some folk who are thinking of going into the letting business may be put off by the MUST-HAVE-THE-ELECTRONICS attitude. I'm putting forward another perspective. Simples. If you want to press the ignore button feel free. Anyway ollie989898 does like to make sweeping statements & he knows I'm not an angry person. I'm just calling him out.
SS

Hey I say each to there own. Most people expect tv and wifi now . If you advertise no tv and wifi etc then that's great . I target the yummy mummy and daddy types with family older and younger.
I looked into glamping on my own property which is not known for its tourism . When looking at huts cabins etc many had TVs in them .

 

[7610 super q]

Broadband service in this part of the world is shocking. Having it drop out altogether for periods would be worse than not having it at all. Plus, there's far to much trooping up to the house with f**ked up kettle/ toaster / hair drier / under their arms as it is. KEEP IT SIMPLE.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Well I'm the direct antethisis of this. Absolute luxury & silence except for natures noises.......Except for the odd tractor/gas-gun, aerpolane. Except the Mitchell bomber, Spitfire & Tornado that come over occasionally. But I have no control ovet these noises
I'm a little puzzled @Still Farming. Do you have rental properties? By your statements you seem to have had some disasters. I've been involved with rental properties for 20 something years from handz-on-maintenance right up to management, so I can understand some of the frustration a newcomer might feel. I'm out of this now & just a smallholder making ends meet in the best way I know how.
SS

 

[ollie989898]

I would say it very much depends on what kind of market you are courting.

Personally I would seek to equip the property or room or whatever with as many facilities and novelties as I could and use them to charge the highest price I could get away with, you want guests to return time after time and the human touch is almost priceless in my view.

If you want to go down the online world and end up being nothing more than a collection of customer reviews and be treated like a travel lodge you can do that but I would not gain much satisfaction or pleasure from it.

I cannot stress enough how important personality is in the hospitality game.

 

[foxbox]

Last few years my bookings are up year on year I'd be disappointed with under 40 weeks ! Price has a factor in this but I'd say quality cleanliness along with fixtures and fittings TV's in bedrooms wifi sky or something similar good range of kitchen ware from glasses to pizza wheel plenty of pans etc once again good quality not from the pound shop .good beds mattresses and bedding not your old stuff . White is good as if it gets stained bit of bleach/mr muscle in the wash and hey presto. Toiletries in bathrooms .

Occupancy rates in the Midlands are far higher than in the coastal tourist areas, we've averaged over 85% for the last 10 years with little trouble so I agree that in Oxfordshire this shouldn't be a problem. Also agree with the fixtures and fittings; it's expected now and if you open with low spec you'll regret it. Wifi is essential but it doesn't have to be incredibly fast; we're stuck with a 7mb/s connection here shared between 3 cottages and we've never had a complaint about speeds. There were 14 devices hanging on it over Christmas so it must've been creaking a bit! Also keep in mind though that you can't control the amount of downloading people will do. With Netflix etc you'll want a broadband contract offering unlimited downloads to be sure you're not getting charged for overuse.

Try to avoid charging for extras unless they're genuinely an extra too. We have competitors that charge for the wifi password and one that charges for bed linen . Offering a welcome hamper (in addition to a few basic essentials provided for free) or home reared steak etc is a different matter and some guests will happily pay for these. Try to think what you'd like to find if you were to walk in after a 4 hour drive with 2 screaming kids and make that your basic arrival package (coffee, tea, milk, chocolate biscuits, sugar, maybe today's paper), you'll probably never get thanked for providing it but it gets the stay off to a good start.