Pool Use end of October Charente Maritime

[Blue Shutters]

We agonised last year, and for the end of October week we let our house without the pool being open, we had no guests the previous 4 weeks. Guests knew the pool was shut. However they also needed heating in the evenings, but said the weather would have been good enough to use the pool.

I have just had an enquiry for October half term week, asking for the pool to be open (I say £100 extra in October) but again we have no lets after 25th September so keeping the pool open and heated for a month when it may not be usable, would swallow up a lot the rental income anyway (with changeover costs).

We have a heat pump that we generally have on overnight only for most of the season, and in the day as well in May and September. The pool is large 12x6 m and has a heavy heat retaining cover but no abri.

Another problem is heating in the house, it is big and we just have electrical convector heaters with no timers and the Oct guests last year got through €200 of electricity, we allowed €50 and said any extra was chargeable but didn't have the nerve to charge more than €50. People do not seem to go round turning off heaters when they are on holiday...

Realistically, "ball park" how often are pools usable that last week in October? Our manager thinks we are daft contemplating keping it open for a low rental week...

[Ju]

I think your manager is right. We certainly have swum at the end of october, but maybe twice in one week, perhaps 3 times in 8 years.

The big problem is night time temperatures, it can eaily get to 23-24 during the day, but at night it can be 5 degrees. That is what your heat pump is fighting agaist.

We think that on average our big boilers can heat the water consistently to 10-12 degrees above the night time temperature, so in October we would struggle to get the water above 22 degrees which is my limit for swimming. And it would cost alot more than £100 to acheive that.

Also if guests are paying £100, they expect to get what they think of as a heated pool - ie 28Degrees, which simply isn't possile unless you have a glass cover.

I'm guessing that LV can use the pool in october as she has the cover.

[Blue Shutters]

Oh good, that's great Ju, those were my thoughts re night time temps plummeting...we have night rate electricity but the pump would have to be on all day too, and as the pool is big it's harder to maintain the temp. Yes we say 26 degrees for ours, not indoor temperature temps! LV has an abri, and the tempo tarrif so daytime heating is cheap too, eventhough she is further north. I give the option of having pool if anyone came along wanting the first or possibly second week of October without a gap of more than a week from previous guests. Is that roughly what you do?

The other problem is giving in and putting the house heating on for evenings and the house heating and pool heating cannot be on at the same time,as we found out in May this year...!

[Blue Shutters]

...and I swam at Easter this year, our pool temperature was an unheated 16 degrees, once in it was gorgeous... no really it was

[la vache!]

I wouldn't keep it open - I wish I wasn't keeping mine open as bookings in October are very scarce this year. Without the abri there is no way my pool would be warm enough to swim in. Last year in Oct it was very mild and the pool was still 28°C, but it isn't always the case. If my pool isn't over 24°C, I don't consider it warm enough to swim in.

[Blue Shutters]

Thanks Ju and LV, have decided to not take the booking at all, and get on with maintenace work that needs doing.

[Jimbo]

... have decided to not take the booking at all ...

Wisely, I think. When we were buying, all the selling owners were full of guff about 'extending the season' to increase income, but you quickly realise that the increase in expenses verses the decrease in income soon meets in the middle.

Jim

[Blue Shutters]

Thank you, I really appreciate the reassurance that turning down the booking is not daft, eventhough the money is very much needed, net end of let after costs may not even be a +ve figure! Gut reaction is to take all bookings!! Level headed analysis wins the day

[Circé]

yep, as a manager who's seen late October weather anything from gloriously warm to wet & cold (even frosty) I wouldn't bother keeping the pool open for that one week. You would lose money.

As to heating costs, any of our clients who do later lets charge a lower rent, but extra for electric heating which is simply done by a meter reading. If you do this it is only fair to tell them how much it's likely to be, and to have easy to use heaters.

For logs, some charge, others it's all in: but as keeping a log burner or fire going is work most folk don't abuse it like electric heaters!

[la vache!]

... have decided to not take the booking at all ...

Wisely, I think. When we were buying, all the selling owners were full of guff about 'extending the season' to increase income, but you quickly realise that the increase in expenses verses the decrease in income soon meets in the middle.

Jim

I find bookings up until the beginning of Novemeber profitable, and of course Christmas and New Year when you can charge high season prices. The profits are marginal from Jan - March and even April, when it is very cold, the inside of the houses have cooled down considerably and the heating costs are therefore very high.

[Jimbo]

I find bookings up until the beginning of Novemeber profitable ...

Unfortunately, winter can arrive surprisingly early here and often with a sting in its tail. In our first winter, we had a frost in mid-November that caught us by surprise, took the temperature down to -12C and burst pipes all over the shop. We're in a V-sided valley which probably doesn't help. So, I'm keen to drain down all non-essential water systems sooner rather than later. Of course, our gites could be 'winterised' (at a price) and rented - but Perigord winters are long, cold, dark and often wet, so it's never seemed like much of a runner.

Still, good luck to those who do and can make money out of it. Me, I'd rather be in front if the fire with a pile of books.

Jim

[Ju]

We have fixed dates for the pool, 1st May to end of September, and that is when we change the prices as well. We will stretch it by a week if the weather is good, but no more.

[la vache!]

I fill the month of April because the pool is open, so it is worthwhile for me to extend the season.

[Ju]

Definately LV I agree, and if I had a cover I would do the same.