your guide to letting with us

Your guide to letting with us

Simple, stress-free and successful holiday letting

Welcome to the holidaycottages.co.uk letting guide. With over 30 years’ experience, we are

proud to be considered one of the UK’s leading holiday letting agencies. This guide provides

you with all you need to know about our business and how we will market your property to ensure we deliver exceptional booking levels for your property and a healthy return for you.

Millions of visitors browse our award-winning network of websites every year to choose their

ideal property from thousands of quality, handpicked homes across the UK. Supported

by a dedicated team of local experts, who focus on maximising the return on your investment,

you can enjoy peace of mind knowing your property is in safe hands.

Jayne McClure | CEO

Letting your property should never be a daunting experience. By letting with us, we’re confident we can offer all of the help and expertise you need to maximise the return from your holiday property.

What makes us different?

Why choosing us could be the best decision you make

Quality property portfolio

Our properties have been carefully handpicked by us to ensure we maintain the high standards across our portfolio that our guests have come to expect and associate with our brands.

Local teams and local offices

Whilst national marketing creates maximum exposure, our local teams across the UK have an appreciation of the regional market and understand how to optimise your property.

A personalised service

All our owners benefit from a dedicated and local property account manager, responsible for monitoring performance and making recommendations to improve booking levels.

Managed property services

The efficient management and presentation of your home is the key to success. Whether you live locally or further afield, we can take care of the day-to-day smooth running of your property.

“We would highly recommend the services of holidaycottages.co.uk. Our bookings have increased year on year and our property manager is always on hand should we need her. We wouldn’t use anybody else.”

Angela & Craig — Garden House, Coniston, Cumbria

Highest standard of customer satisfaction

A Feefo score of 4.7/5 alongside a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service award and a Trustpilot review rating of ‘excellent’ demonstrate how highly our guests regard us.

Unique network of brands

Alongside holidaycottages.co.uk, we also have a unique and diverse network of regional and lifestyle brands which expand the reach of your property to even more potential guests.

Over 30 years of experience

With over 30 years of history, we have grown into one of the most trusted and well-known holiday letting brands in the UK, delivering bookings for thousands of happy owners.

Professional photography

A guest’s first impressions of a property are vital, so we ensure that every owner benefits from having professional photography to capture and showcase their property’s best features.

An in-house team of experts working with a multimillion-pound marketing budget will ensure your property is widely promoted across a variety of platforms.

Always up to date with the latest trends and technology, our innovative marketing campaigns and user-friendly websites aim to make sure we’re the number one choice to book a quality holiday cottage in the UK.

Our unique network of regional and lifestyle brands offers maximum exposure for your property. This, alongside a growing social media presence, significant customer database and a dedicated team of marketing analysts, ensures we reach the right people at the right time.

With such a broad marketing reach, we’re confident we can deliver the highest possible booking levels for your holiday let.

Creative marketing that works

Extra reach Where needed, we work closely with more than 250 niche travel sites, as well as some of the most recognised brands in travel to present your property to the widest customer base possible.

Collaborations From our exclusive relationship with Pets at Home and collaborations with leading high street brands such as Joules, to supporting charities such as RSPB and the Marine Conservation Society, we are proud to work with like-minded organisations, giving us more exposure to potential guests.

Unique network of websites

We produce visually engaging websites which provide a smooth, hassle-free experience for the user. They are all tested and enhanced on a regular basis, making it as easy as possible for customers to search and book.

Search engines

Almost every holiday is researched and booked online. Our team of experts constantly work hard to ensure we rank well in search results. We have a direct relationship with Google and work with them to enable us to stay ahead of the game.

Social media

Our rapidly expanding social presence allows us to engage with our customers in a more personal way. We are continually promoting properties, sharing inspiring content and responding to the questions of our ever-growing community.

Email

We have an expanding subscription to our email newsletters, ensuring customers stay informed about our latest campaigns and newest properties. We tailor the content accordingly to maximise the impact on potential guests.

Print & mailings

We send targeted mailers to key customer groups at crucial times of the year as well as making use of tailored media across a huge variety of local and national publications, such as The Radio Times, The Telegraph and The Times.

Events, shows, TV & radio

Each year, we attend a variety of shows and exhibitions across the UK to promote brand awareness and, where it makes sense to do so, broadcast on TV and radio to further broaden our reach to people most likely to book your property.

holidaycottages.co.uk is the flagship brand of The Travel Chapter — a company proud to have built a reputation as one of the UK’s leading holiday letting agencies with a superb, quality collection of diverse holiday homes across the UK. It’s also home to a unique and exciting network of other regional and lifestyle brands too.

By letting with us, your property, whatever its style and appeal, will find its niche and could benefit from increased exposure across our brands. Whether you own a cosy cottage in Cornwall, a dog-friendly beach house in Sussex or a renovated castle in the Scottish Highlands, we’ll get your property promoted to the right audience.

Introducing our network of brands

Each and every one of our brands is designed to showcase the unique selling points and scope of our

accommodation offering. To view our entire family of holiday letting brands, visit: www.travelchapter.com/brands

[email protected]

Process all bookings and guest payments

Manage all guest queries, before, during and after their stay

Manage all advertising and marketing

Offer exclusive retail discounts to benefit your holiday property

Make weekly owner payments in advance of stays

Offer flexibility to use your own property

Provide 24/7 visibility with your online owner account

Offer optional managed property services

Personalised services As an owner, you will benefit from having your own dedicated property account manager who, along with our team of experts across the business, will monitor your property’s performance and make recommendations to ensure you are getting the highest possible returns.

Alongside this tailored support offered by your property account manager, we will also do the following on your behalf:

In a recent owner survey, an overwhelming 90% deemed the relationship they have with their property account manager to be one of the most important factors in their letting experience with us.

Your online owner account Your bespoke online owner account, available 24/7, is quick and easy to use, accessible on all devices and houses everything you need to know. You can:

View guest bookings as soon as they are confirmed

Complete your own bookings

Review your payments, including a full breakdown

Access our regulatory information pack and advice including ready-to-use templates

Keep up to date with guest feedback and property reviews, enabling you to action any suggested improvements straightaway

Read helpful advice, FAQs, monthly updates and blogs

Find your exclusive offers and rewards from our partner companies

Dedicated teams The efficient management and presentation of your home is key, so whether you are within easy reach or further afield, our dedicated Managed Services teams can take care of the day-to-day smooth running of the property as well as overseeing any longer-term needs.

A tailored service We have handpicked teams of reliable and reputable people who understand that each owner and property is unique; with the scale of our team, we’re proud to offer a friendly bespoke service which is as hands-on as you need.

Quality standards We will always make sure your property is presented to the highest of standards. This includes those small, personal touches which ensure your guests have a memorable stay, encouraging them to return as well as recommending your property to others.

Local support With local offices across the UK, we have teams ready to help whenever you need them. With their expert, local knowledge and understanding of the market and region, you’ll benefit from a wide range of services, all co-ordinated under one roof.

Managed property servicesWe understand how valuable your holiday property is to you. We also appreciate the importance of maintaining it to the highest standards, ensuring it performs to its absolute potential both now and in the future. That’s why we’ve created our managed services package.

Professional housekeepers

Our housekeepers focus on presenting your property to the very highest standards with changeovers completed efficiently after each guest’s stay, even at short notice.

Maintenance and repair

We work with local, reputable tradespeople, arranging access to your property to ensure it is maintained to meet expectations with minimal impact on your guests.

Welcome pack

We can provide a welcome folder containing local information and guest advice on looking after your property, as well as essential items and local produce for them to enjoy!

Quality linens

Investing in quality linens and towels gives your property that real luxury feeling. We can provide these items, so guests wake up feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep.

Here when you need us

We will be the first point of contact for your guests, 365 days a year, should any problems arise during their stay. They’ll be able to reach us any time of the day or night.

Property visits

Your dedicated property account manager will get to know your property, making frequent visits to ensure it is presented to the highest standards and provide you with expert advice.

As a business, we consider our social and ethical responsibility to be one of our core values; it is crucial to consider the impact we are having on our local communities and places in which our holiday properties are located, as well as the wider world around us. In the current climate, it is more important than ever for businesses such as ours to take a stance on both the environmental and social issues affecting the places in which we live.

Even in the early days of our company, supporting charitable events and finding ways to contribute to great causes has been something we have

always encouraged. More recently, we have been taking action to ensure our business is conducted in ways which reduce our impact on the environment, in order to chart a more sustainable and ethical course for our company as well as a more sustainable future for British tourism.

We want to better communicate our efforts as we become a more environmentally conscious business through marketing campaigns and informative, insightful and relatable content. In turn, we hope this will encourage our guests to holiday in the most responsible way that they can.

Charting a more sustainable future

Restoring British woodlandThroughout 2021, for every booking made with us, we’ll make a donation to the RSPB to help support the revival of British woodland in projects at RSPB Glenborrodale, western Scotland and RSPB Haweswater, Lake District. Every donation made will restore one square metre of British woodland, allowing trees and native plants to thrive again. The projects we are helping to fund could capture up to 3,000 tonnes of carbon.

Our collaborationsWorking with like-minded organisations and charities has always been an important focus for us. Most recently, we have created strong collaborations with charities such as the RSPB and the Marine Conservation Society as a way of ensuring we play a role in addressing social and environmental issues. By supporting these uniquely positioned organisations, we are able to make differences in areas directly relating to the holiday experiences we offer.

We also believe our owners are the foundation of our business who go above and beyond to create a memorable experience for guests. Many are

now taking steps to make their properties more sustainable, from those which use repurposed and low-impact building materials, to those which generate lighting and heating from renewable sources and provide electric car charging points.

We want to build on these efforts, learn from our owners and raise awareness on how effective and realistic changes can be made in every property to improve the sustainability of that holiday let, whether it be additional recycling opportunities, sustainable swaps or greener products, all which add up to a positive impact for our planet.

Protecting unique seagrassWe’re thrilled to be supporting the Marine Conservation Society in an effort to spread the charity’s messages far and wide. While much of the sea’s inhabitants are hidden underwater, they are a vitally important part of our planet, and they need our help to ensure a thriving future. Our contribution to the Marine Conservation Society will help restore 25,000m2 of seagrass along the South Coast of England and could help to capture as much as 2,000 tonnes of carbon(1).

(1) Source of information: Marine Conservation Society

Our commitment to quality Our ownersThe high quality of our properties across the UK is one of the defining and most appealing features of our network and a key reason why guests choose to book with us time and again.

As well as being of high quality, we also understand that each property in our portfolio is unique. Therefore, it is crucial that we build close relationships with our owners and truly understand how to achieve the very best return on investment from their property.

Our dedicated property account managers are critical to this. In a recent owner survey, an overwhelming 90% deemed the relationship they have with their property account manager to be one of the most important factors in their letting experience with us.

By being part of a quality network and receiving this personalised support, our owners can feel confident their property will fulfil its potential.

Excellent

Great experienceGreat experience. Booking form very straightforward to follow. Quick to book.

Excellent websiteExcellent website, well designed, easy to navigate with plenty of filters featuring an extensive selection of reasonable priced cottages and other accommodation types. The team member I spoke to was friendly, polite, professional and swiftly dealt with my enquiry.

Our guestsWhat our guests think and feel about their holiday is vital to the success of our properties too. This is why from the moment guests book, to the moment they arrive home, our teams are on hand to ensure their stay is a memorable one. It is this level of excellent service that makes guests return again and again. In fact, over 30% of our guests have stayed with us before.

Following their stay, we actively encourage guests to leave reviews, enabling us to work with our

owners to make any necessary improvements based on this feedback, as well as ensuring we maintain our reputation as a trustworthy brand.

Furthermore, with previous guests sharing positive experiences, it ultimately gives confidence to other potential guests to book their stay with us too, in turn generating more revenue for our owners.

VisitEngland quality accredited agency Providing an exceptional level of service clearly is of the utmost importance to us. With personally inspected properties and a VisitEngland quality accreditation, potential guests can be further assured that we’ll meet their high expectations.

Recognised as a Gold Trusted Merchant by Feefo We are proud to have an excellent customer service rating of 4.7/5. We have also been recognised for our outstanding customer service by receiving a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service award — an accolade only earned through three consecutive years of gold standard service.

Easy booking, customer focused Trusted Customer 1 month ago holidaycottages.co.uk Booking

Booking was very smooth and easy. Great service!

Excellent service Trusted Customer 2 months ago holidaycottages.co.uk Booking

Booking was simple and easy, confirmation almost immediate. I needed to contact holiday cottages after the booking for a query and they returned my email very promptly. Wouldn’t hesitate to use again.

Proud to be a VisitEngland quality

accredited agency

Based on 35 guest ratings

Overall cleanliness Overall equipment

Overall comfort Overall location

Reviewed by Ann, 13th March 2020

This was an ideal base for a family group. We were all really comfortable and enjoyed the large open living/dining area with its comfortable seating. We loved the location which was really quiet, but close to Abersoch and beaches etc.

Reviewed by Angela, 17th January 2020

Fantastic property, nicely renovated. An ideal set up for a family break. Open-plan living upstairs was brilliant, nice log fire, meaning we were all together, even when preparing meals. Location was great and hot tub was lovely to relax in during the day or night. Would definitely book again.

Case study | North Wales “I have found holidaycottages.co.uk good to work with. Always very professional and provide a no-hassle holiday letting service.”

Robert | Capel Neigwl

10 25 2

Joined our portfolio in 2017

54 bookings in 2019




Reviewed by L, 9th March 2020

Lovely property. Very peaceful and beautiful views. Clean and well equipped. Owners very welcoming and helpful. Ideal area for walking and visiting local villages. Would certainly recommend.

Reviewed by Jenny, 3rd January 2020

This is a lovely cottage and having now stayed there 3 times(!), I would certainly recommend it.

Case study | Suffolk “Without holidaycottages.co.uk’s marketing, the property would unlikely be so full and there would be considerable hassle in setting up websites and managing all the admin. We are happy to pay for a job well done.”

Katie | Burgate’s Old Rectory Cottage

4 22 1


52 bookings in 2019




Reviewed by Abbi, 7th February 2020

Absolutely beautiful, everything had been thought of by the owners and there was even some treats left for our arrival. The log burner was great and the option to buy extra dry logs was perfect. Lovely thought having dog bowls etc. available as they can often be forgotten.

Reviewed by Gillian, 20th December 2019

We had a wonderful Christmas week in The Garden House. The cottage had been beautifully decorated (including a real tree!) ready for our arrival, with thoughtful gifts underneath the tree for the children and even treats left for the dogs :-)

Case study | Lake District “We would highly recommend the services of holidaycottages.co.uk. Our bookings have increased year on year and our property manager is always on hand should we need her. We wouldn’t use anybody else.”

Angela | Garden House

4 12 2


40 bookings in 2019




Reviewed by Emma, 26th October 2020

The cottage was comfortable, warm and cosy. It was very clean when we arrived and the birthday cake and card for my daughter was a thoughtful touch and something you dont get everywhere. My kids loved the hot tub and this was also clean and well maintained.

Reviewed by Pamela, 10th July 2020

Grip Barn is beautiful and the hosts are lovely too. I would definitely recommend this place to stay and would love to return. Lots of great things to do in the area too.


44 bookings in 2019

Case study | Somerset “We started our journey into letting our holiday home with holidaycottages.co.uk 5 years ago. The volume of bookings has exceeded our expectations. It has been an enjoyable experience and we look forward to many more years.”

Rich and Claire | Gripp Barn

4 12

01237 459991 [email protected]

Enjoy receiving your bookings

Once you’re all set up, you can start generating income.

Arrange a no-obligation visit

We will provide expert advice on all aspects of holiday letting.

Contact us to get underway

We’re available seven days a week until late.

Getting started is easy

Refer a friend** Do you know someone who has a holiday home in the UK? We’re always looking to add quality holiday homes to our collection. If you refer a friend to us and they sign up, you will receive vouchers with a combined value of £400.

Simply put us in touch and we’ll do the rest! There is no limit on the number of referrals so the more people you recommend to us, the more money you can earn!

[email protected] 01237 459991

**Terms and conditions apply. Details available upon request.

This brochure is printed at a fully environmentally accredited site using vegetable inks, carbon balanced paper and a chemical free process less plate system.

*From 1st January 2021 until 31st December 2021, The Travel Chapter Limited will donate a minimum of £65,000 to RSPB Sales Ltd.

RSPB Sales Ltd is a company incorporated and registered in England and Wales with CRN 02693778. RSPB Sales Ltd gift aids all of its distributable profits to the RSPB. The RSPB is a charity registered in England and Wales, number 207076, and in Scotland, SC037654. The registered office for both entities is The Lodge, Sandy, Beds, SG19 2DL

The Travel Chapter Limited. Registered in England & Wales, Company registration No: 02431506.

Registered office: Travel Chapter House, Gammaton Road, Bideford EX39 4DF

01237 459991 | [email protected]

Your owner handbook v2.2

your guide to letting with us

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