Flexible change-overs, the way to go fo me.

[Liane Goodlife France]

This is our first year running our gite and b&b business. It seemed fairly slow in bookings at the beginning of the year.
We now have just over 10 weeks booked and are really pleased. We decided to go a different way and do flexible change-overs (we are also child-friendly). I know some people may think I'm rather bonkers, but going on my own experience thought we would give it a go. So far everyone has been really pleased (and relieved) as they have got great deals on flights and ferry bookings with no problems on their availability. I thought we would have blank days between bookings, but it seems that people are really flexible and have managed to have no gaps from the end of July through to the end of August. I have had bookings for 12, 8, 10 and 4 days and have not had to turn an enquiry down so far.
Just wanted to share this with you as it seems to have worked for me.

[declanja]

Glad to hear you are doing well. I would agree with you regarding flexibility. Mid week flights are discounted and so the overall cost for guests is lower. We also filled pretty all dates, with an occasional empty day here or there. One problem we have encountered is our cleaner/"meet and greet" costs more for a Sunday changeover. We have absorbed this this year but will pass on next year if it occurs.

http://www.niceplace.iowners.net/

[Margaret]

We did flexible changeover days from the very beginning, just to get the bookings going, and have never regretted it. The guests love the flexibility. We are doing our own changeovers and so far this summer, only have one double changeover day - well worth the occasional empty night.

[Blue Shutters]

I must admit it seems very normal in the US for total flexibility on start and end dates for holidays, and wondered if many did the same in France, I'm encouraged by your findings.

.....alternatively I may do Mon-Fri and Fri - Mon blocks for rentals..... and do a discount for full weeks....so changeover day is Friday and/or Mon and shouldn't leave an unsellable spot......... does it make it easier to get good cleaners if the proverbial Saturday is avoided?

[Giddy Goat]

Hi Blue Shutter - we're in the UK and it has been very very hard to find good cleaners for our property in SW France, even without a flexible changeover day; in fact we had to take a Thursday changeover day in preference to Saturdays as that was the only day the cleaners we found were prepared to commit to.

It turned out not to be a disadvantage so that was a relief.

However,

1) Bear in mind that this is seasonal work. My finding was that French cleaners (and expats for that matter) are ideally looking for part- or full-time employment year round;

2) Most cleaners do have other jobs, with regular weekday commitments, so their willingness to fit around variable changeover days may well be limited.

You could be lucky and get hold of a couple who are newly arrived in the area and agree to take the job on, but they will evaporate as soon as they are established and have found other regular jobs to fill their weeks, unless they are self-employed and can continue to fit around your booking patterns. Sorry to sound a bit gloomy, and you may well find there is more choice of people looking for this kind of work in the C-M than we have here in rural Gascony. Good luck in your search for the dream property and I hope it won't fall through this time!

[Blue Shutters]

A good point, I presumed a week day few hours for a young mum or similar might appeal! But you are right, it will totally depend on who we find, and what suits them.

[Topcat]

I'm in my second year of renting and have done flexible change-overs from the start. I've lost an odd day here and there, but I think I've also got bookings I wouldn't otherwise have had. It's swings and roundabouts - there isn't a definitive answer, but I'm not planning on changing it. I did have one real stroke of luck, as one enquirer asked for any 10 days in August and I just had a ten day gap to fill. It won't work out like that very often, though!

TC

[Giddy Goat]

Stick to your cleaner like glue Topcat! I'm sure that flexibility is the best way, if it's achievable. We can offer this out of the main letting season, but even then it has to be negotiated with our cleaners before accepting the booking.

[Topcat]

GG I use an agency for cleaning, so they employ a number of cleaners so there's always someone available to do it. It's a bit of a curate's egg. It means there's no problem with the changeover, but the cleaning can be hit and miss. Usually it's excellent, and tenants have commented on how clean the place is, but one lot of tenants said it was dirty. (But they also had absolutely foul weather, and as a result found fault with every little thing). The agency also provides sheets and towels, which is fine, but they're not the quality I would like to provide.

But I would have thought that the cleaners would like flexible changeovers, as they're not trying to cram in loads of changeovers on one day, but I suppose it depends on what else they're doing.

TC

[Liane Goodlife France]

Nice to see others at it too, thanks for the replies. Fortunately I do my own change-overs as I live here toujours! Maybe I should get into cleaning and being flexible - now there's a thought!