A holiday villa not only gives you the freedom to get away whenever you choose, it also presents opportunities for added income when you’re not there. 72.8 million of us took trips abroad in 2017, as holidaying overseas continues to become more accessible.
Renting out a holiday home often isn’t straightforward, however – if yours is a flight or long drive away, how are you going to manage it day to day?
While it does raise a few extra challenges, there are ways to get around them. Here are five tips on making renting your holiday home a success.
#1 Advertise
If your holiday home is abroad or at a different end of the country, you can’t rely on your personal network to find guests. That means you’ll need to list your property on holiday rental websites to get noticed.
There’s a variety of different options out there, but whichever sites you choose make sure to upload high-quality photographs and include as much information as possible in the listing description to answer any questions from potential guests.
#2 Get Landlord Insurance
Before you take on your first guests, it’s a good idea to get landlord insurance. While it’s not a legal requirement, it will protect you against any potential damages or even loss of rent if your guests won’t pay up.
It’s especially worth thinking about when you’re renting remotely as you’re unlikely to be able to vet guests who have booked online. Homelet has over 25 years’ experience and offer a variety of options including portfolio insurance if you’re renting out multiple properties.
#3 Hire a Management Team
Without you being there to look after everything, you’ll need to hire a team on the ground to help. A property manager can take care of greeting guests and handing over keys and can also offer local tips to guests too if they’re from the area.
Cleanliness is crucial to any holiday stay, so try to find a cleaner you can rely upon to tidy up in between guests. You may also want to think about having a maintenance team on hand if anything needs repairing before your next visitors arrive, while a gardener will be able to keep your outdoor area looking its best.
#4 Think About Check-In
After spending long periods of time traveling, the last thing your guests want is problems getting into the property. A property manager may not be available all hours of the day and may not even be viable at all in more rural areas, so you’ll need to find a system that works for you.
You could arrange to leave keys at a local café or fit a key safe to the exterior of your property for access with a code. Sending your guests a welcome email beforehand with a map and check-in details will help to avoid any panicked late-night phone calls.
#5 Use Smart Home Technology
Smart Home tech can be used in a variety of ways to manage your property remotely, and more of us are using it than ever before.
Smart thermostats can be used to monitor your heating and avoid freezing pipes or damp in colder months, while noise monitoring apps can help you make sure your guests aren’t disturbing neighbors.
Although there will be set up costs involved, smart home tech can reduce risks, improve security and reduce costs long-term.
What are you doing to rent your holiday villa remotely?
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