Preparing Your Property for the Holiday Lettings Market
Honest Letting Advice
Cleaning and bed making tips – Give your property the 5 star service by upgrading every duvet to the next size up and investing in beds with integrated storage to help keep the floors and cupboards free. For properties in the heart of the city, sleep packs including earplugs and eye masks can help your guests to get a restful night’s sleep too.
Photography – Your photography is crucial in building and establishing an attractive but truthful first look at your holiday home – and is what will set up both the expectations and experiences of every guest. Use photography to depict not only how the property is presented but also how it can be used; how guests can relax into and use the different spaces throughout the inside and outside of the home.
Furniture – Remember that building a homely environment for an ever-changing roster of guests is very different to building a home for yourself – and so creating clean lines and neutral spaces which any and every guest can enjoy is crucial to maintaining the popularity of your property. Consider furnishings which maximise the use of space, such as integrated storage solutions and sofa beds, and ensure that you leave as much free floor space as possible for accessible navigation and movement.
Pets – Pets tend to get a bad reputation when it comes to holiday lets – with landlords often fearful of the damage that pets might cause without considering how many potential guests they are alienating with a ban on pets. Rather than saying no to pets in the property, consider taking a pet damage deposit against any potential damages, and make small changes to ensure that you property is pet friendly – for example, by integrating a dog bed and some bowls when you know a pup is coming to stay.
Luggage storage – Little things count when it comes to creating a functional and aesthetically pleasing holiday let, with factors like a cupboard for luggage storage and integrated features and accessories (hair dryers and irons) all capturing the needs that your guests might have when they visit. Anticipate what they might need before they arrive – they’ll thank you for it!
Further Tips
Don’t take it personally – We would always suggest that any and all personal effects are removed from the property, creating a welcoming and warm but neutral space that will appeal to everyone. This includes photos, personal or potentially risqué artwork, and personal details.
Make it interactive – A great way to grow your own organic approach to marketing, especially increasing your popularity and presence on social media, is to invest in unique features which capture the eye and make for a great insta-worthy photo. Colouring walls and giant mirrors are among some of the most popular now, with a property hashtag helping to unite all related posts together on social platforms.
It’s the simple things – do you have somewhere for your guests to get ready? Do you have an iron and ironing board?
Let it burn(or not) – Save carpets and furniture from burns by adding heat mats, wall mounted brackets, and heat-proof surfaces in the kitchen and around the dressing areas of the room where guests are likely to use heated appliances.
Make it festive – Considering the season and making little updates to your décor according to the time of year will help to elevate your holiday let from bland to well thought out and a little bit special. Adding a Christmas tree in December and parasols to your garden in summer are all little details that guests will appreciate and remember.
