guide to letting your holiday home

3rd edition

Make money from your

holiday home

PREPARING

4 Case Study: Holiday home owners success through Holiday Lettings

6 Choosing the right property to suit your needs and objectives

8 Legal and financial considerations when choosing to let your holiday home

10 How to furnish and accessorise your holiday home to appeal to your target market

12 Case Study: Conti overseas mortgages

mARkEtING

14 Considerations when setting your rental rates

16 Benefits of marketing your holiday home on the internet

18 Tips on taking good photos to use in your marketing

20 Tips on writing an effective and appealing advert

22 Keeping your holiday home advert accurate and up to date

24 Additional marketing channels

26 Case Study: Intasure holiday home insurance

mANAGING

28 Tips to help you manage your holidaymaker enquiries effectively

31 Advice on helping you to encourage repeat bookings

32 Case Study: Moneycorp currency exchange

Contents

HolIdAylEttINGs.co.uk

35 About us

36 Advertise with us

38 Holiday letting checklist

40 Case Study: Tax tips from Campbell Woolley

41 Resources available to you on holidaylettings.co.uk

43 Mark your bookings on this mini calendar

Welcome...Holiday letting is now a mainstream holiday concept as more and more second home owners realise

the added value of letting their holiday home and more and

more holidaymakers enjoy the space, freedom and flexibility

of staying in a home over a hotel room. We have experienced

much growth in this area in recent years, which has come

with many requests for advice on how best to do online holiday home marketing.

What was once a niche market place of renting directly from a handful of private holiday

home owners is now a mass market with enormous consumer choice. While holiday home

letting is not rocket science this guide has been designed to help you maximise your efforts

and your rental income by guiding you on how to stand out from the crowd.

Many members of our team, myself included, have personal experience of holiday home

ownership and online marketing. Part of the strength of the service we provide comes from

the passion our team has for sharing our knowledge and wanting you to get the

most from your holiday home advertising.

Whatever stage you are at in your holiday home letting journey, this guide provides advice

and suggestions from property choice and purchase through to managing your bookings

and securing repeat bookings.

There’s no more passionate or knowledgeable place to be and we look forward

to helping you get the most value out of your holiday home.

Ross EldER, mANAGING dIREctoR

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casestudyRichard and lucy Pash happened upon Casa dell’Ava in the medieval village of Chiavenna in 2004. With the help of local craftsmen they restored their traditional mountain home on the Swiss-Italian border and incorporated numerous eco-friendly elements.

Opting later to let their beautiful home and share

rural mountain life with others, they created their

own website casadellava.com and placed an advert

with Holiday Lettings. Perching on the south facing

slopes of the Engadina valley, skiing can be found

at St Moritz and the popular local resort Madesimo.

But with the local area offering so much more than

skiing Richard will help package mountain holidays

for you so that you experience ski, mountain tracks,

ice falls, local food and local hospitality.

Today they are almost full from June through to

mid September and again from December until

February.

more infoTo find out how Holiday Lettings can help

you make money from your holiday home

visit: holidaylettings.co.uk/whychooseus

We rent out our house in Italy to provide income to pay back a family loan that we took on when we bought and restored the house. Holiday Lettings has been superb, our house has its own page on their website which we can amend at any time and the staff are always very responsive and helpful.Richard and lucy Pash | Home 16033 | Italy

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PreparingLocation, location, location : 6 | Play safe : 8 | Mass appeal maximised : 10

holidaylettings.co.uk

LOCATIOn LoCATIon locAtIoN

7holidaylettings.co.uk

BE oBjEctIvE What is more important: personal

use and preferences or appeal to holidaymakers and

rental income?

WHo ARE youR GuEsts? Think about the

demographic make up of the typical holidaymaker in

your location and the type of property and facilities

most sought after.

AccEssIBIlIty Consider which routes and

forms of transport the destination relies on. This

could affect changeover days and whether or not

your guests need to hire a car.

Be sure to holiday in your chosen location before you buy, preferably at different times of the year.

FINd youR WoW FActoR Find a property’s

unique selling points, i.e. great views, pool, hot tub.

cHEck out youR comPEtItIoN Do your

research and find out which properties are most in

demand and where.

As you set about your holiday home letting journey make sure you have clear objectives for your purchase, such as the type of property you buy and its location…

tRy BEFoRE you Buy Be sure to holiday in

your chosen location before you buy, preferably at

different times of the year, to gauge how busy the

resort is through the seasons.

WINdoW sHoP Before your buying trip check

out portals such as rightmoveoverseas.co.uk,

which advertises thousands of properties for sale

around the world.

sEAsoN lENGtH Think about whether

transport links are seasonal and if amenities

and attractions are always available. These will

impact on the length of season and the times of

year the location appeals most to tourists.

more infoVisit our Advice Area:

holidaylettings.co.uk/ownersarea for more

tips on choosing your property.

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PLAysAFE Before letting out your property there are some very important financial and legal considerations. It is vital that you comply with the necessary legal obligations and understand the tax laws in your country of choice before embarking on the holiday lettings journey...

1BE lEGAl Are you allowed, legally, to let your

property on a short term basis? Ask someone

other than the person or company you are buying

the property from.

2kNoW tHE RulEs Some countries

require special licences allowing you to rent

out your holiday home. Regulations may vary

on a national, regional and resort level, so check

with a local solicitor and the local authorities.

3comPlEx sItuAtIoN If buying on a

complex, check with the community president

whether there are any restrictions on short term

lets. Check the complex/community rules for

restrictive covenants and for any other obligations

you may need to make guests aware of.

4lock It uP Check that your property

adheres to all of the security measures

required by your insurance policy such as

specific door and window locks or alarms.

5 GEt covEREd You will need public liability

insurance should guests injure themselves

whilst at the property; not forgetting building and

contents insurance. Some insurers combine these

elements and market their products as ‘holiday

home insurance’.

6sAFE ANd souNd Check your policy for

a minimum vacant period clause. For peace

of mind ask local contacts or pay a caretaker

to visit your property regularly during the closed

season to check for burst pipes or dripping taps.

7tAx AWARE You will need to pay tax on

rental income earned from your property.

Tax has to be paid first in the country in which it

is earned and then in your country of residence if

income tax rates differ. The UK has double taxation

agreements with most countries to prevent you

from paying twice. For more information on tax

advice see page 40.


8tAx tIP

Check for variances in

non-resident and resident

status in relation to taxes.

You could save money.

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mass appealmAxImIsEd

Decorating and furnishing your property also needs careful consideration if you are to make it appealing to potential guests…

INNER BEAuty

Furnish with flair Use a medium to high

standard of furnishing that will last longer and

require less maintenance whilst still looking

attractive to holidaymakers.

AccEssoRIsE

Think like a holidaymaker What items would

you expect or like to find in a holiday home on

arrival at your destination? Add a few essentials

for your guests.

Consider essentials First aid kit (which should

contain no medicines), local emergency contact

details and a fixed position safe for valuables.

Blowing hot and cold Consider the climate;

kit your property out with air-conditioning and fans

and think about a pool and barbecue for hotter

climates, or a log fire, central heating or Jacuzzi

for cooler climates.

Family friendly If appealing to families consider

providing a high chair, stair gate and cot. Parents

will love the added touch of toys, TV, videos, DVDs,

board games and books for keeping the kids happy

on rainy days!

On your bike If the location is good for cycling,

provide a couple of bicycles to encourage guests

to explore the local area and reduce their carbon

footprint at the same time.

Pool play Keep a collection of inflatables and pool

toys if your property has a pool or if there is a

beach nearby.

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Appeal to the masses Select a neutral palette

of colours when decorating and use brighter accent

colours on accessories to maximise mass appeal.

Banish clutter Use a lockable cupboard to hide

your own personal items and valuables when

holidaymakers are staying.

casestudystuart and Gail Ferns from Dumfries have just completed on a lovely one bedroom apartment in the coastal town of Zambrone, in the Italian region of Calabria. As they enjoy regular visits to Italy, it will be the perfect family holiday home for them and their two young children. To help cover their mortgage costs, the couple intend to rent it out to tourists for the remainder of the year.

The Ferns were initially unsure about who to

approach for their overseas mortgage, but chose

Conti because of its close relationships with

a number of Italian mortgage lenders and detailed

knowledge of the Italian mortgage process. This

level of expertise extends to mortgage lending

in more than 45 countries. Conti’s service also

includes liaising with other carefully selected local

professionals, such as lawyers, surveyors and

currency traders, saving Stuart and Gail a lot of

time, cost and hassle.

We received a 1st class service from Conti, they acted professionally in dealing with all aspects of the mortgage process. We knew that there would be many things to consider and wanted to ensure that everything was done properly. stuart and Gail Ferns | Italy

more infoTo find out how Conti can help

with your overseas mortgage visit:

holidaylettings.co.uk/overseas-mortgages

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MarketingThe right price : 14 | Benefits of online : 16 | Every picture tells a story : 18

Word perfect : 20 | Ahead of the game : 22 | Spreading the word : 24


The right price...

PRIcE WIsE Prices should reflect demand,

seasonality and the quality of the property. Look at

similar properties, what they are charging and when

– then price your property accordingly.

cHEck ovERHEAds Consider variable costs

such as utility bills, cleaning and laundry and factor

these into your pricing. nobody wants to receive

a bill at the end of their stay for ‘hidden costs’.

BE FlExIBlE Include prices for short breaks and

long weekends, not just week long breaks; these

offers may work well for you in quieter periods.

EvEN stEvENs Calculate how much money

you need to break even and where you can afford

to be flexible in order to offer reductions.

GEt It RIGHt Don’t over or under value your

property. Under pricing peak periods will reduce

your ability to be flexible on price in quieter months.

sPEcIAl PRomotIoNs If you have last

minute cancellations or empty weeks, promote

these at a special offer price and advertise this

clearly so that people realise your property is

normally worth more.

more infoVisit our Advice Area:


tips on your holiday home marketing.

Don’t over or under value your property: rental prices should reflect demand, seasonality, quality and the competition.

HIt tHE tARGEt

Identify your target

market given

your location,

accommodation

type and tourist

demographic:

couples, adult groups

young families, or

large families.


sEAsoN sAvvy

Peak or high seasons will

vary according to location, but

school holidays are invariably in

demand and your pricing can

reflect this.

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Benefits of onlineInternet advertising reaches larger audiences than all other forms of holiday home advertising...

FREEdom

online adverts are

generally quick and easy

to create and edit. Portals

such as holidaylettings.co.uk

enable you to edit and

update your advert

24/7.

BRoAdEN youR HoRIzoNs

Choose a company that is not afraid to tell you

how many holidaymakers use their website

each month. you can expect to reach audiences

of over two million holidaymakers a month with

the big players.

Access all areasOnline holiday home advertising portals give you

the ability to show more photos of your property

than other mediums. On holidaylettings.co.uk

each advert can include up to 24 photographs,

allowing you to showcase the best features

of your property inside and out as well as the

local area. Stay in controlAdvertising your holiday home online enables

you, in most cases, to retain complete control

over who stays in your property and when.


vAluE

FoR moNEy

Advertising online is more effective and better

value than print advertising and you tend to

get more space for property descriptions and

photos.

I get practically all my bookings through your website… I no longer use any other marketing. Thank you Holiday Lettings.

lesley | Home 11276 | spain

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EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORYGood photography is the single most important tool for effective advertising. It may be worth paying a professional photographer, but if you do take the photos yourself try these useful tips…

1 lIGHtEN uP Open the windows and let in plenty of natural daylight;

try to choose a bright, sunny day.

2 lEt It sHINE Take external photos in good weather; blue skies are

much more conducive to booking a holiday than overcast days.

3 INsIdE ANd out Try to strike a good balance between exterior and

interior shots. People need to know what your property looks like inside,

but they’ll be spending time outside too, so you will need to feature this

as well.

4 ANtI GlARE Take photos with the sun behind you so that your

images do not suffer from a lack of contrast.

5 dusk oR dAWN Daylight is most

complementary in the first or last few hours

of the day.

6 stAGE sHots Think ‘show home’:

lay the dining table, put out a bottle of wine

and fill the fruit bowl.

7 HIdE tHE FAmIly Don’t use people in

photos – allow holidaymakers to imagine

themselves in the picture.

8 sHoW oFF Make the best features stand

out in your photos and highlight them in your

advert by adding captions.

9 FIRst ImPREssIoNs Photos are

the first thing online advertising sites show

and therefore the first thing holidaymakers

see. Use your best photos online and be

sure to add as many photos as space allows.

10 PHoto WIsE Keep shots of the

bathroom and kitchen to a minimum –

they’re not very conducive to getting

people in the holiday mood.

11 clEAN ANd clEAR Present a clean

and clutter free property so that people

can imagine themselves staying there.


12 cREAtE

tHE mood

When taking photos

of the bedroom switch

on any bedside lamps

to create a warm,

atmospheric lighting

effect.

I could not believe how user-friendly Holiday Lettings is. The space available for photographs and text is more than generous.

Phil denman | Home 61789 | Portugal

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Here are some useful tips to help you write your online advert to highlight the best features of your holiday home and entice holidaymakers…

WoRdPERFECT

doN’t BE sHy Remember you are selling

the features and benefits of your property

to holidaymakers, so don’t be afraid to boast

about the best ones.

BE ENtHusIAstIc Keep your advert upbeat

and exciting – show holidaymakers that you love

your property and they will too.

clEAR ANd HoNEst PRIcING Be clear

about costs and make them inclusive. If your prices

look low but don’t mention extras like heating or

cleaning, you may lose potential bookings when the

true cost is revealed.

kEEP It RElEvANt State important points in

easy to read lists in the body of the advert, but also

provide a good introductory paragraph that sums up

a great holiday at your home.

PERsoNAl APPRoAcH Holidaymakers may

also like to contact the owner directly by phone,

so think about listing your telephone number on

your advert.

tAIloR youR tExt Customise information

about local attractions and facilities to your target

audience. They may not know the local area and

need the destination selling to them just as much

as the property.

kEEP PARAGRAPHs tIdy If paragraphs are

too long people won’t bother to read all the way

through, too short and they’ll look elsewhere for the

information.

doN’t usE cAPItAls It looks like you are

shouting and makes the advert much harder to

read. You need to come across as approachable

through your advert.

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holidaylettings.co.uk 21

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Write descriptions of

your property and local area

brimming with unique selling

points, detailing what’s really

great about your holiday

home. you know your

property the best.

Ahead of the gameIt is important to keep your holiday home advert up to date for holidaymakers. Here are a few top tips to remember…

sEAsoNAl cHANGE Sites such as

holidaylettings.co.uk allow you to update your

advert whenever you want, so take advantage

of this. Adapt your advert to different seasons

and different client bases throughout the year.

For example, if you own a ski chalet think about

how it can be marketed for other seasons and

promote activities such as walking or cycling.

BE AWARE Keep abreast of transport changes

in the area. This may be the introduction of

a new route to your destination or even an

airline or route cutback. It may also include new

attractions in your location or the closure of an

existing attraction that you have mentioned in

your advertising.

Be proactive If you do get last

minute cancellations

or have some empty weeks

you want to fill, think about offering

a special deal to bring in the bookings. Likewise,

if you want to attract the early birds, offer people

a special price for booking early.


Availability Be sure to use and regularly update your online

availability calendar as many holidaymakers

like to search by date and many listing sites will

order search results by availability. Updating

the calendar regularly shows that you are a

responsible owner and holidaymakers will not

waste time sending you an enquiry if you’re

already booked.

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SPREADInG THE WORDInternet sites are now the main method by which owners advertise their properties to holidaymakers. However, if you want to consider extra marketing options try some of these…

sElF PRomotIoN Produce a simple brochure

or flyer with some photos and text that best

summarise your property. You can put these up

at work, in the newsagents, in the gym or hand

them out to interested people.

socIAl NEtWoRkING If you have a profile on

websites such as Facebook or Twitter then add a

link to your online advert and promote your property

this way to your friends and their friends

mAGAzINE AdvERtIsING

Worth a try if your property

appeals to a niche market such

as golfers, skiers, families with

young children or pet owners.

However, magazine advertising

can be pricey.

GEt PERsoNAl Think about setting up your

own personal website for your holiday home.

Ask holidaylettings.co.uk about the WebCreator

service which enables you to have your own

website that is easily managed and updated through

your holidaylettings.co.uk account.

The response we have had this year from holidaylettings has been amazing and we have been fully booked throughout the season.

Adrian George | Home 12204 | turkey

WoRd oF moutH Be sure to tell your friends,

family and colleagues about your property as this is

the cheapest form of advertising.


tImE

FoR you

Keep some weeks free

for you and your friends and

family to enjoy! Sometimes it

can be tempting to accept all

of the booking requests and

forget to save dates for

yourself.

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casestudycheryl chapman fell in love with nerja on her first visit there and soon afterwards she and husband Andy bought a four bedroom villa which they advertise on holidaylettings.co.uk as well as keeping some weeks free for themselves.

When torrential rain caused flash flooding in nerja

for the first time in living memory, the 40 foot long

wall running along the bottom of Cheryl’s terraced

garden was washed away.

With a full season of holiday bookings lined up,

Cheryl had braced herself for the prospect of having

to organise a local, Spanish builder from the UK.

She needn’t have worried, Intasure provided an

English speaking representative based in nerja as

Cheryl’s single point of contact. After explaining the

step by step process of making the claim, Intasure

identified and hired an approved builder locally and

kept Cheryl up to date with the works until they

were completed.

more infoTo find out more and to get covered visit:

holidaylettings.co.uk/holiday-home-insurance

You hear all these horror stories of having to deal with local trades when you don’t speak the language – but this whole process couldn’t have been more straightforward. The new wall is very well built and the Intasure rep was just 1st class.

cheryl chapman | Home 11601 | Nerja, spain

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ManagingCare & Attention : 28 | Above & Beyond : 31


1 sERvIcE WItH A smIlE Remember

you are running a business and providing

a customer facing service. Treat all holidaymakers

as you would want to be treated.

2 covER youR BAck Ensure that you

send a booking contract to all guests stating

the full terms and conditions of renting your

property. A sample booking contract is available

for all holidaylettings.co.uk advertisers. Any

contract would need to be tailored to your exact

requirements with the help of a solicitor.

3 oN tHE BAll Check your emails for new

booking enquiries at least once a day. Most

Internet listing sites also offer to send free SMS

text messages to your mobile every time an email

enquiry is sent.

4 sPAm AWARE Check your spam filters to

make sure enquiry emails don’t get dumped in

your junk mail folder.

5 QuIck oFF tHE mARk Ensure you

respond to holidaymaker enquiries as quickly

as possible. Being polite and professional will also

maximise your chances of securing a booking.

6 just IN cAsE Make sure you supply your

guests with emergency contact details to use

during their stay and make sure you also have theirs

in case you need to get hold of them.

7 dAmAGE dEPosIts A refundable deposit

of £100-£500 (depending on your rental rates

and the value of your breakables) should be taken

as part of your contract. This should cover you

for most instances of loss or damage to your

property.

It is essential that you back up your great marketing with an equally great service for holidaymakers. Here are eight essential tips to help you deal with enquiries and bookings in a professional manner whilst maintaining that personal edge…

Care Attention&

more infoVisit our owner Advice Area:


tips on managing your bookings.

8 sPotlEss

Get a cleaning company on board to manage your changeovers

and carry out basic inventory checks between guests.

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Stay in touchTo encourage repeat

business, keep in touch with

previous guests informing

them of any special offers

and improvements to

the property.

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Warm welcome Leave, or ask your cleaner to

provide, a welcome pack for guests. This could

include a bottle of wine and some basic food items,

which are always welcome after a long journey.

Eye on the ball Keep an eye on the market and

make sure your pricing and facilities remain up to

date and competitive. Be sure to review your advert

regularly in this respect.

Know your neighbours Work with other owners;

they may be your competitors but if you get an

enquiry you can’t honour then someone nearby

may have availability. They may return the favour

another time.

Above Beyond&Get listed Keep up to date with local events

and activities and get listed with event organisers

as this is often free. It is also advisable to list with

the local tourist office.

Share the love Provide a guest book for visitor

comments providing useful feedback and valuable

testimonial comments. These can also be used on

your online advert to entice new guests.

What’s on? Provide details of local attractions,

including popular restaurants with opening

times and any prices.

Stand out from the crowd and give your guests even more reasons to remember you and your property for their next holiday…


casestudyPeter king from Basingstoke recently invested in a luxurious four bedroom villa in the Kalkan region of Turkey, to give him and his family a fantastic holiday home as well as to capitalise on an overseas investment opportunity.

Peter bought the property in mid 2007 and has

been enjoying regular holidays there since as well

as letting the property out to other holidaymakers

through holidaylettings.co.uk. Turkey is one of the

top 10 most popular holiday searches on Holiday

Lettings and Kalkan is particularly renowned for its

tranquil setting.

Peter recently switched to Moneycorp and set up

a Regular Payment Plan (RPP) to pay the property

mortgage. In doing so he has saved hundreds

of pounds through better rates of exchange and

lower transfer fees. The RPP is totally flexible and

is perfect for people with overseas properties

who want to save money when making regular

payments.

more infoTo find out how Moneycorp can help

with your foreign currency needs visit:

holidaylettings.co.uk/currency-exchange

I used to use my bank to transfer money to Turkey, but they had problems in getting Lira and I would incur a charge for receiving money into my bank account. Moneycorp on the other hand were great – using them has been very straightforward and much cheaper than using the bank.

Peter king | Home 20189 | turkey

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holidaylettings.co.ukAbout us : 35 | Stand out from the crowd : 36 | Holiday letting checklist : 38

Resources… just a click away : 41 | 2010 – 2011 Calendar : 43


35

About usBritain’s favourite holiday home website has over 10 years experience of offering the very best in holiday home advertising.

our passionate and expert team of over

70 staff is eager to ensure your holiday home

advertising works for you from day one. Our

endeavours and achievements are reflected in

the praise for our customer service staff, our

reputation within the industry, our marketing

reach and our press coverage.

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kholidaylettings.co.uk

Holidaylettings.co.uk is the UK’s busiest website for holiday home lettings. Trusted by 20,000+ owners

of private holiday homes and a whole host of letting agents and property managers, the range of holiday

accommodation is second to none and holidaymakers just cannot get enough of it.

The site offers incomparable levels of holiday home

advertising for its advertisers seeking the best

online presence for their properties.

It is our goal to make your holiday home

work harder for you.

We are constantly investing in improving the

presentation of homes on our site as well as the

ease with which holidaymakers can search and

navigate the website.

Founded and run by Ross Elder and Andy Firth,

we celebrated 10 years of business in 2009. Since

March 2007 we have been part of Rightmove plc,

the UK’s busiest property portal. In addition

to being part of a reputable household name

Holiday Lettings has won awards for business

growth and entrepreneurship as well as

website traffic.

stANd out from the crowd…Advertise with us on holidaylettings.co.uk, the UK’s busiest holiday home website

How does it work?

REGIstER FREE

Sign up to create

your account…

cREAtE AdvERt

Enter property details

and upload photos…

mAkE PAymENt

Check and preview

your advert, when

happy pay online…

tAkE BookINGs

Receive enquiries by

phone, email or text.

1 2 3 4


join the uk’s No.1…

• Reach 25 million holidaymakers worldwide

• Advertise for just one low annual fee and pay

no commission on bookings

• Everything you earn is yours, take bookings

direct and stay in control

• Our multi-lingual team of expert advisors

will help you every step of the way

• Include up to 24 photos at no extra charge

By far the best holiday site on so many levels! Best at attracting guests, best for navigation and best for customer support. Great job!

Home 22864 | France | june 09

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How can I find out more information?

Visit: holidaylettings.co.uk/whychooseus

Need help with your advert? Call now on:

+44 (0)1865 312000

Holiday letting checklistUnsure where to start with letting out your holiday home? Look no further...

Taxes payable and legal requirements

Your target holidaymaker when furnishing

and equipping your property

Useful items to make your property a real

home from home

2 mARkEtING: When marketing your

holiday home think about…

Rental prices reflecting your offering,

demand, season length and the competition

Overheads such as cleaning and utilities

when setting your prices

Your breakeven point when setting

your prices

Advertising online to reach millions more

holidaymakers

1 PREPARING: When choosing and

preparing your property think about…

Your objectives: personal use or rental income

Your target market, e.g. families, or couples

Length of rental season in your area

Your running costs versus your potential

rental income

Routes and transport the area relies on

Holiday home insurance

Your property’s ‘wow factor’ and USPs

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k39holidaylettings.co.uk

Using well staged and attractive photos

in your advert to entice holidaymakers

Writing enthusiastic and informative property

and area descriptions in your advert

Extra marketing – tell your friends and maybe

even consider your own website

Keeping some weeks free for you to enjoy

your holiday home

Advertising on holidaylettings.co.uk,

the UK’s busiest holiday home website

3 mANAGING: When managing your

bookings remember the following…

Respond quickly and in a professional yet

friendly manner

Take deposits and send tailored booking

contracts to your guests

Check for cleared funds from holidaymakers

before handing over keys

Get the property thoroughly cleaned

and inventory taken during changeovers

Arrange for the cleaner to leave a welcome

pack for guests

Provide a folder packed with useful

information on local attractions and activities

Keep your availability calendar and advert

details up to date

Make sure you keep some weeks free for you, your friends and your family to enjoy!

more Info

Visit: holidaylettings.co.uk to set up your

advert, or to speak to a team member call:

+44 (0)1865 312000

taxtipWhen letting a holiday home you may have to pay tax on profits so it’s important to work in the most tax efficient way. Conversely your investment could cost you more than you make initially, which isn’t necessarily bad news as you might be entitled to a tax refund.

Under current* UK rules, tax payers with furnished

holiday homes can sometimes offset losses against

their annual income. Tax rules often change but

you can typically make claims (which can be worth

thousands of pounds) for rules that applied in

previous years.

A number of holidaylettings.co.uk advertisers have

already benefitted thanks to the help of Campbell

Woolley, a specialist tax adviser. There’s a free

questionnaire at campbellwoolley.com/taxback

that determines whether you’re entitled to a refund

and the potential amount. They also monitor

changes in tax rules so can advise on your best

options going forward.

more infoCheck whether you’re due a tax repayment

with the help of Campbell Woolley, visit:

holidaylettings.co.uk/taxback

Tax isn’t always a bad thing as tax breaks can provide additional reasons for owning a holiday home. It’s a good idea to check things out with an expert and we’re always happy to help holidaylettings.co.uk advertisers on any tax matter.tony Woolley | tax Partner

campbell Woolley

*Current at time of print, november 2009

Also mENtIoNEd IN tHIs GuIdE.. .

conti Overseas mortgages – see page 12

Intasure Holiday home insurance info – see page 26

moneycorp Foreign currency exchange – see page 32

campbell Woolley Holiday home tax info – see page 40

Rightmove overseas Overseas property for sale – see page 42

Visit holidaylettings.co.uk...oWNERs’ AREA Read more tips and advice on choosing, managing and marketing your

holiday home, property investment news and a property services directory.

AdvERtIsE youR HolIdAy HomE More info on the advertising products we offer,

our prices and why holidaylettings.co.uk is the no.1 place to advertise your property.

FREQuENtly AskEd QuEstIoNs See our advertiser and holidaymaker

‘FAQ’ pages to answer any questions you may have.

tEstImoNIAls If you still need convincing then visit our testimonials page and read

what hundreds of our advertisers have said about us.

sEARcH FoR HolIdAy HomEs to RENt We’ve tens of thousands of holiday

homes to rent around the world. Search by dates, rates, availability and more!

Resources... just a click away

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Need help or advice? email: [email protected] call: +44 (0)1865 312000

Buying a holiday home?• Thousandsofpropertiesforsaleoverseas

• Simplesearch,contactadvertisersdirectly

• DealsandpricesexclusivetoRightmove

• Emailupdatesandalertsfornewproperties

• Adviceandguidanceonbuyingabroad

Visit www.rightmoveoverseas.co.uk to find your perfect holiday home for business, investment or leisure.

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Keep me in your wallet or stick me on your fridgecross off when your property is booked for an instant snapshot…

Third edition, published november 2009

© Holiday Lettings Ltd. 2nd Floor, Barclay House, 242-254 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7BY. w www.holidaylettings.co.uk | t +44 (0)1865 312000 | e [email protected].

Holiday Lettings Ltd. registered in England and Wales no. 5282912

Holiday Lettings has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this guide. However, it is for general guidance only. no legal responsibility can be accepted by the author or publisher for the accuracy of the information and guidance or for any loss or expense resulting from reliance upon it. Readers should always obtain specific up-to-date advice from a suitably qualified expert before making any commitment. All rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted, in any form by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without prior written permission from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to Holiday Lettings Ltd, 2nd Floor, Barclay House, 242-254 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7BY, England.

Front cover image courtesy of www.veer.com

e [email protected]

t +44 (0)1865 312000

guide to letting your holiday home

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