long stay let

How to communicate with your potential renters - how to turn site visitors into enquiries, and enquiries into bookings.
ClareW
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2016 11:19 am
Location: Malvern, Worcestershire

long stay let

Post by ClareW »

I have had a request for a longer term let from beginning Sep through to mid December for a local family having building work done on their home. I already have a short booking in Sep, and one in Oct which the family is happy for me to honour- they will vacate to family. They are also planning to go away for the half term week, making it available for that week.
This would mean that from early Sep until 4th Nov they would not be there for more than 31 days consecutively as it would be broken up into shorter stays. From 4th Nov to early/ mid Dec it would go over the 31 consecutive days, but am I right in thinking that that is ok as long as it doesn't exceed 155 days in total stays over 31 days? I already have over the qualifying 105 days booked out for the year so that isn't a problem.
I guess we'd need to work out a reasonable price, less than the usual rate esp if they do all their own cleaning/ washing etc.
It seems like a good opportunity so hopefully we can find a way to make it work, and I just wanted to check with you guys that I wouldn't be breaching any of the holiday let conditions and whether you have any advise on the subject...
Thanks in advance!
jafa
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2017 2:08 pm
Location: Kirchberg in tirol
Contact:

Post by jafa »

Unless I`m mistaken, its your business to do what you see fit. Break it up if you like into smaller lets fitting in with your calendar. That way if your worried about the term "long let" technically your not. But take deposits for all the periods as you would do normally.
Jafa
Mike&Chrissy
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:27 pm
Location: Selsey, West Sussex

Long stay

Post by Mike&Chrissy »

Hi, this is probably too late for you but we've had two long-stay insurance related lets and won't accept them again. In both cases the house was filthy afterwards and needed serious cleaning. Don't expect to have guests in immediately afterwards, it will take several days. One family moved their own electrical stuff in (including a TV) and we are now missing 3 cushions and a throw. The garden was neglected and plants have died. Children left
mess in the garden, marked the walls and jumped on beds.
They get too used to the place and treat it like home, and you don't know what that means. I suggest you visit weekly and check on condition. The money is tempting but weekly let's are less effort.
ianh100
Posts: 598
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:37 pm
Location: Sherborne Dorset

Post by ianh100 »

We had a couple of bookings like this last year. They can be a good earner in winter months but as others have mentioned can have some down sides. We charge a lower rate but ask them to pay energy at cost of consumption.

They will bring a lot more with them and will cause more wear and tear than a holiday stay family. We had one lady stay over a 4 month period on and off fitting in around our existing bookings for half term and Christmas. She brought all of the pots of plants from her garden and a couple of bits of furniture which she left there the weeks we had bookings.

You have your FHL requirements covered so no issues there. I would ask for a much higher damage deposit and give a few days clear before a booking to make sure everything is ready for a holiday guest. Talk to them and try and explain expectations. We have a lot of people asking for accommodation after floods or waiting for a new house to be finished. They can't usually use a normal rental as these want a minimum 6 month booking, references and all that entails.

If you can meet the family you can judge to risk, it depends how much you want the income.
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