Lay My Hat

Hello

I have been reading posts for several weeks so thanks for all the really useful info.

I'm nearly ready to start my 1 bed holiday let in North Wales, it's a new venture for me and I live on site and will be doing it myself.

I just had a few niggling questions, some of them tiny that pop into my head at night so I thought I'd ask.

Beds - I have two singles. When I make them into a superking do I need one of those things that covers the middle, or will a good quality mattress topper do the job?

Also just wondered how often do you tend to put them back to singles for guests that want singles?

I am dithering over the purchase of bed linen. The bedroom is plain and without character, it's basically a modern box but nothing wrong with it otherwise. It needs something to make it a bit more special and I've added wall mirrors, a few pictures and bedside lamps and rugs from Ikea, but I can't decide whether to get coloured/patterned quilt covers or get plain white with a runner and cushions. Does anyone have any thoughts such as pro's and cons of white linen or patterned?

Advertising - I've had one agent come out who was very positive about number of weeks it will let, and I have two others coming this week. They all charge about the same, around 20% commission. As I'm new I thought this would be the best route to start with but happy to get your thoughts. Two of the agents are national and one is local to North Wales.

Thanks very much, I'm sure I'll be asking more questions before too long

Hello and welcome

With regards to bed linen, with the exception of the bed sheet, I wouldn't go with white - bed linen gets stained very easily (with minor stains that wouldn't have you replacing them) and white shows up everything. Even with a good stain remover, marks can remain, which would be hidden by a pattern. There is the advantage that you can bleach white linen, but personally, I wouldn't fancy fighting with a big bucket of bleach on changeover day.

What linen to go with is a personal choice, that also depends on the price of your place. I would say whatever you go for, make sure it will last, doesn't lose its shape easily and, if possible, is easy to iron. We're not high end, but have found that it was false economy buying supermarket sets. Ikea's more expensive sets are great... though I suspect everyone has them, so if you want to stand out, choose something else. There are plenty of discussions about linen on here to browse through.

Best if luck with your new venture!

The good thing about white of course, it that there is no risk of colour running into other laundry by mistake. My white bedding is still pristine after 3 years. I changed over when buying new at the suggestion of my HK, but all her other properties now have coloured linen.

You'll always get both sides of the fence for preferences re the linen, but I have white percale from Out of Eden and it has stood up to everything thrown at it, which includes many dogs.

I doubt many cleaners use bleach for stain removal; Vanish and a soak is much better. Mine also goes through an occasional very hot wash which my previous cleaner used to swear by.

I have two properties and short breaks, so often two changes of linen in a week and some of my linen is the original from six years ago.

Patterns will fade over time and you cannot replace individual items if say one pillowcase or one duvet cover gets ruined. If you're happy to just buy sets and replace more regularly then you could consider pattern - carefully! There are some horrible ones around!

Hello Jeddy, welcome to LMH. With regard to agents who all charge about the same price, suggest you check what extra support they provide for you, as well as number of likely bookings. National agents normally just take the bookings and then you are on your own if anything goes wrong or needs fixing. Also check out VAT charges.

My bedrooms are all very plain, so I use patterned bedcovers for colour. IKEA have some great stylish designs, but choose their better quality.

Good luck with your venture.

Patterns are an individual choice and guests can be put off completely by photos on your website of a pattern they don’t like, so keep that in mind. The issue of fading and matching when you need a replacement in a hurry is important too. Patterns and colours don’t necessarily show stains at a glance, but they’re still there and guests will see them. Being able to see a stain at a glance before it gets onto a guest bed can be a bonus.

Agencies - don’t be fooled by the promises of how many weeks' occupancy an agent promises, what you want are projected profit figures based on revenue and your outgoings. An agent can sell lots of weeks and achieve high occupancy for you by the simple process of underpricing - ie undervaluing - the properties on their books. You end up with more work and expense for a revenue you could have achieved with lower occupancy, therefore less work and less expense. Sykes in particular are renowned for this practice; the other - important - downside is that you attract poor quality guests who will treat your property in line with how Sykes etc value it, not how you value it. If you can find a local agency you can work with they’re more likely to know the area; they may not make such grand promises, but that is actually a good thing. Check out the links from member Charles Cawley’s posts; he runs a small agency (not in you area I don’t think) and is very helpful with his tips.

Edit - here are the links from Charles Cawley’s signature:
Helpful info. Please copy and put in web browser:
countryholidaylets.co.uk/about-us/landlords-homeowners-info-pack
Extra information:
holidayletsforsale.com/advice-cottage-owners-info-pack/

Seconding the points from the 'white linen people'. And buy the best you can afford. Some of my past guests have actually mentioned the quality of my linen in reviews - they are spending a good chunk of their stay in them as about third of their holiday is in bed, so they do notice. I buy very high thread count which are pain to iron but they last and they are much appreciated.

IF you go for white you can, as you say, introduce colour elsewhere but beware of overdoing it on the number of cushions as they are just a nuisance at night if you don't have a bedroom sofa to throw them on - they will just be dumped on the floor and create annoyance.

Personally I like a well dressed bed I would do a full throw and cushions to add style.
As others have said, white verses patterns is always personal taste but I agree with Nemo's point about pattern....you can never replace pillowcases or one single duvet should the worst happen.
Pattern is hard to get right, and I think patterned linen has to be top quality to stop it looking cheap. I have patterned single duvets in the twin rooms and I have to say they are superb at hiding stains.....but, I also bought a spare duvet and 2 spare pillowcases just in case. I learned the hard way.
White is easy....classy and suits everyone's tastes. I have this on the king beds.

One thought.....as a half way measure think of plain colours. If I had just a one bed place I would go upmarketish; good quality duvet, pure linen sheets and duvet covers. You can buy these reasonably priced at Zara Home and they have some lovely colours including white. Linen may seem expensive but believe me it is as tough as old boots.....and just gets better the more it is washed.

When joining our single beds I just use a padded mattress protector. I would use a topper but you need somewhere to store it when the beds are in singles.

Good luck...and welcome

Mousie
x

Hello from North Wales!

I'm more of a fan of coloured bed linen. Adds a bit of cosiness especially during the duller days. I'm also a lot happier being able to throw all the bedding in the wash each week. I'm never entirely sure what guests do on the coloured cushions and throws needed to dress up white bedlinen.... One would hope they remove them from the bed!

As for the agencies - there is a huge difference between "revenue" and "profit". The only one who made a profit out of my let the first year was the agent. They took their 20% +VAT off the top and left me to pick up the full costs of running it from the remainder. Some weeks over the winter cost me money and I'm now far more profitable on a few less weeks books since I parted from them. I've had far less damage too.

If you have only one bedroom I would probably guess that you'll get couples only and I would suspect that more often than not you'll have the room made up as a superking. I think you'll very rarely have to split them. In fact I would probably only offer it as a double room only as a superking.

I use Out of Eden's ivory linen, can't fault it and cover with patterned coloured spreads.

I use Wyndham Vacation which is a large number of websites including cottages.com, I'm happy with them but I have set myself what is called a fixed "Floor Price" to stop them from discounting last minute too far.

You'll work out for yourself what the minimum is that you want to get from the let, work out your costs, linen, utility bills etc and work out your minimum and insist on a fixed floor price. I also insist that in the last 48hrs the price goes back up and it does. I'm getting a little less bookings but overall I'm better off. I do feel that I'm getting fewer problems and a cleaner changeover day too as a result.

Cymraes wrote:there is a huge difference between "revenue" and "profit".

Duh - I think my brain was fuddled when I posted (very likely). I’m going back in to change my basic error!

Thank you all, very helpful and valid points and I'm so glad I asked.

I have gone off the idea of fancy cushions, I agree they would be annoying for guests and end up on the floor, and the same with a bedspread, which look lovely but where would they store it.

I will find something stylish but subtle, and not too "on trend". I searched last night and found three that were just right, but annoyingly expensive or were sold out in superking. I might as well wait now untill the sales start seeing as we are so close to boxing day!

Thank you greenbarn for the link which I have looked at and bookmarked.

I went for polycotton bed linen to make it easier for the cleaner (was this a mistake?)

I have white but also a very pale yellow in the main bedroom which works very well with some hand painted bedside cabinets..

I have a textured cotton bedspread in white in the main bedroom which I think looks lovely...

I think have had just one duvet cover with a stain that would not come out that I have had to send to recycling in 5 years

Re the agent - I was with a local agent for the first 2 years. They were helpful and gave me confidence...

I agree with what was said re profit .. I never fail to be surprised at my costs!

Hi and welcome you will find loads of helpful info on here. I still browse through when I need info. Good luck with your Holiday let it is just a tad nerve wracking to start lol.

Anyway bed linen as has been said is a personal choice. I must be mad using 100% cotton awful to iron but loooks and feels lovely.

As for agents. We have been with ours a year and are pulling out this year. If you do sign up read all the small print. When things go wrong ( very rare thankfully) you are on your own. Also look at the get out clause you could be tied in for longer than you think. But on a good note they are very good at getting you on your feet with advertising.