Simply Owners

OTA = Online Travel Agency, which means those sites that sell the booking and take the payment for you.
Statto
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Jul 27, 2019 12:50 pm

Simply Owners

Post by Statto »

I’ve come across a website called Simply Owners. Any views on them? Notice they don’t charge any commission but an upfront yearly fee. Thanks
User avatar
Cymraes
Posts: 519
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2015 3:31 pm
Location: North Wales

Post by Cymraes »

Like all sites - will work for some, not for others.

They are not one I would use.

There is a long thread on them here

https://www.laymyhat.com/forum/viewtopi ... ply+owners
Yorkshire Lass
Posts: 201
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:08 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Post by Yorkshire Lass »

Actually I've had a property with SO for a few years now and though for the first 2-3 years things were very quiet I have noticed an increasing trickle of enquiries/bookings through them so I would give a cautious endorsement to them as I think more savvy guests are now beginning to look beyond HA, TA and AirBnB to sites where they won't have to pay commission and can reach the owners directly.
We're all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars

www.kingshousescarborough.com
www.facebook.com/scarboroughholidaycottage
www.sandsendpavilion.co.uk
AndrewH
Posts: 1499
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 1:17 pm
Location: Kefalonia, Greece
Contact:

Simply Owners

Post by AndrewH »

The likes of TA and VRBO (formerly HomeAway) will do everything to prevent customers from making initial direct phone contact with owners, in case they try to circumvent these agencies' 'service fee' by booking with the owner direct. Who can blame holiday makers for doing just that should they find out what ripoff merchants such agencies are.

I list with Simply Owners. I can recommend their method of working, and I get bookings.
Silverado
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 4:32 pm
Location: San Pedro de Alcantara, Spain
Contact:

Post by Silverado »

I registered with them about 10 months ago. Currently, virtually all my enquiries are coming now from Simply Owners and I definitely recommend them.

I have become very disenchanted with sites like VRBO etc. since the pandemic and the cancellation chaos which ensued.

I like the idea of paying for the ad and when the enquiries come you are in the driving seat as you progress the booking. If you need to refund because of cancellation then it's just you and the client, and no intermediary.
Joanna
Posts: 1091
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:12 pm
Location: Chester, North West England & Sidmouth, East Devon
Contact:

Post by Joanna »

We had 1 cottage with SO for a year and it brought in enough bookings to make it worth renewing so this year we've signed up our other cottage too. They're flexible about their pricing - if you wanted to try them out it would be worth speaking to them.
Jo

Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
zebedee
Posts: 1270
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: yorkshire dales

Post by zebedee »

Can I ask everyone who lists with them, do you get bookings outside of the summer months, ie October to March (don’t laugh- I know the British weather), excluding Christmas and New Year???
Drax
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 4:36 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Post by Drax »

zebedee wrote:Can I ask everyone who lists with them, do you get bookings outside of the summer months, ie October to March (don’t laugh- I know the British weather), excluding Christmas and New Year???
We have been with Simply Owners for approximately 4 years.
I have found them to be helpful and professional in my dealings with them.
For the first 18 months we had a reasonable amount of bookings/queries through them but then they just seemed to 'dry up', both Winter and Summer bookings with them just 'died'.
Because of this I notified them I was cancelling my subscription.
To be fair and as a goodwill gesture, they agreed to give me a further years subscription completely free.
Alas, I have still not received any further bookings through them.
I wonder whether their site is more geared to attracting people who want a continental holiday rather than a UK one?
Nevertheless when my subscription ends I will not renew it.
Keep your powder dry.
Drax
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 4:36 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Post by Drax »

zebedee wrote:Can I ask everyone who lists with them, do you get bookings outside of the summer months, ie October to March (don’t laugh- I know the British weather), excluding Christmas and New Year???
We have been with Simply Owners for approximately 4 years.
I have found them to be helpful and professional in my dealings with them.
For the first 18 months we had a reasonable amount of bookings/queries through them but then they just seemed to 'dry up', both Winter and Summer bookings with them just 'died'.
Because of this I notified them I was cancelling my subscription.
To be fair and as a goodwill gesture, they agreed to give me a further years subscription completely free.
Alas, I have still not received any further bookings through them.
I wonder whether their site is more geared to attracting people who want a continental holiday rather than a UK one?
Nevertheless when my subscription ends I will not renew it.
Keep your powder dry.
Marks
Posts: 2930
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:16 am
Location: Costa Blanca

Re: Simply Owners

Post by Marks »

Any updates on Simply Owners? They seem to get good Google positioning for key searches. Looking for a home after Spain Holiday.
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
Drax
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 4:36 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Re: Simply Owners

Post by Drax »

I was with Simply Owners for at least 4 years.
They were very good with me and I got a reasonable amount of bookings with them.
Eventually though, I decided not to renew my subscription because I was trying to cut back on advertising costs. Rather generously and to be fair to them they gave me another 12 months advertising free of charge.
Last year I notified them I would not renew again and left them.
Now though, I wish I had not done that because my main advertising site, Independent Cottages, is being sold off to a company called Snap Trip. I suspect this means that Independent Cottages will go the way of Owners Direct when that was taken over, with commission being charged and no direct contact between owners and guests.
I intend now to go back to Simply Owners and cancel my forthcoming subscription to Independent Cottages.
Keep your powder dry.
volcano
Posts: 84
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 10:24 am
Location: Lanzarote

Re: Simply Owners

Post by volcano »

SH was my side and when they merged it seemed like the end of the matter for me. I thought for a long, long time.
Then, shortly before Christmas, an offer from SO arrived, and I grabbed it. Two days before Christmas I go online with a totally empty calendar. Just take a look.
Two months later all "rand months" were fully booked, summer still available.
I can recommend SO much, everything like we old hands were used to from SH, HA etc., but maybe only for Spain?
User avatar
roxytoo
Posts: 1701
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2005 8:23 am
Location: Spain Costa Blanca

Re: Simply Owners

Post by roxytoo »

volcano what offer did you have from SO?
volcano
Posts: 84
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 10:24 am
Location: Lanzarote

Re: Simply Owners

Post by volcano »

50% discount off annual listing price
User avatar
roxytoo
Posts: 1701
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2005 8:23 am
Location: Spain Costa Blanca

Re: Simply Owners

Post by roxytoo »

thanks, thats not bad is it, did it come direct via email to you?
Post Reply