Lay My Hat

Hi Jenny We too have an apartment in Mallorca purchased last June. Currently not let due to the issues already described although that was the original plan. James is right about Manacor and the furniture outlets but we found them to be pretty expensive. There is another furniture shop in the large ...

I'm pretty sure Greenbarn that it's down to individual councils. And our other two lets are in apartment blocks that have general communal waste bins anyway! This is just one more issue that has made us rethink continuing in the business - the straw that broke the camels back as it were!

It's domestic waste as we can't have all of our properties on business rates. But it gets worse - apparently were not supposed to leave it out prior to 7am because of foxes/cats/rats etc. the rubbish is collected in our road about 7.45 am so the guests would have to set an alarm to get up and put th...

It seems the local authority has changed the regs regarding rubbish collection. After years of having our dustbins, sited in our forecourt, emptied with no problem, they now won't remove the rubbish unless you take the sealed black bags out of the bins and put them out on the street! We weren't awar...

Late to this thread - and see you've solved it - but apparently softwood or burning a mixture of fuels causes it - although you did say you were burning both smokeless and wood

Thanks Nemo, very interesting! Not sure how you would get round the 'non tourist' advertising issue though

Weve used HomeForExchange several times quite successfully. We were also with Exchange Holiday Homes, but were continually pestered to swap (for points) weeks that were high season despite telling them several times that the properties were only available for swaps out of season.

Hi Casscat I don't keep stats for UK/non UK but last year the split was HA 45% and OD 29% - which would seem to suggest that there is no overall difference between listing with just HA or both. However as someone has already said, stats can be misinterpreted. So what I can tell you is that this year...

HA - 73%
Repeat 16%
Website 8%
OD 3%

However, our main site now is HA as we didn't continue with OD (due to the issues at that time) or Independent Cottages (due to minimal bookings for 2 years) from February.

I do categorise repeat bookings as a separate %, wherever they come from.

Hi Does anyone have any experience of upgrading to a higher HR level in terms of more exposure and possibly more bookings? One of our listings is due to expire and as you know if you pay for a higher level of subscription they 'guarantee' you higher in the search results. My concern is that this is ...

Same pattern here - beginning of January completely quiet but picked up this week with quite a few enquiries. However, apart from German families looking for summer breaks (which is the same as last year) they are all for short breaks, all wanting a bargain and at least one asking what our cancellat...

Just had a call offering one years advertising for £40. Anyone else had any dealings with them?

Thanks

I bought the Vax one but have to say I am a little disappointed - we have mainly wood but also vinyl floors. I find it quite heavy and unwieldy and it gives me backache after doing the whole place. We do need another one so that we can have one in each property, so perhaps I will give the Lakeland o...

Thanks DaveN

Looking at the other posts it seems that the 'special offers' are almost a permanent feature, so will give it some more thought and a little more investigation . . . .

Have ordered a full set from Out of Eden - thanks Jenny!