Parking

[jvcc]

I am wondering what other property owners do when they do not have a parking space. There are 2 public car parks very close to my cottage in the town centre which cost about 4 pounds a day. Is free parking expected by holidaymakers?
Perhaps I should discount the weekly rate by that amount?
There is a business permit I could buy, and then lend to each guest, but until I get some lets (just started letting) I can't cover the cost which is more than a week's off-season rental.
Thanks for your advice!

[The Stig]

I am wondering what other property owners do when they do not have a parking space. There are 2 public car parks very close to my cottage in the town centre which cost about 4 pounds a day. Is free parking expected by holidaymakers?
Perhaps I should discount the weekly rate by that amount?
There is a business permit I could buy, and then lend to each guest, but until I get some lets (just started letting) I can't cover the cost which is more than a week's off-season rental.
Thanks for your advice!

Most people would expect free parking I think, tho not necessarily on site. £4 a day is quite a lot to add on to the rental costs

[Rocket Rab]

Hi JVCC,

I would make the parking situation crystal clear on your website, or when you first enter into correspondence with enquirers. (You probably do, I haven't looked) You'll need to give accurate information about distance from the accommodation and cost of parking. If you state this at the outset, guests know the setup and can make up their own minds about cost and suitability before booking.

You can also point out other car parks which might be free, but slightly further away.

If you do decide to discount the weekly rate by the parking fees, make sure your guests know what a great deal they're getting. Tell them, for example, that the weekly rental prices includes *free* parking. I'm not sure guests would expect you to pay their parking fees, but it'll be interesting to see what others think.

[windrush]

Most people would expect free parking I think, tho not necessarily on site. £4 a day is quite a lot to add on to the rental costs

I agree with this. Our cottage has no driveway and there's double yellow lines outside (it's on the High Street of a busy village), so we rent a lock-up garage a couple of minutes walk away. There is free public parking close by but it tends to get parked up quickly, and I don't think we'd get many bookings if we didn't have any kind of guaranteed free parking.

[The Stig]

Hi JVCC,

I'm not sure guests would expect you to pay their parking fees, but it'll be interesting to see what others think.

I think they most certainly would expect these fees to be paid. It's fairly unusual to not have parking actually on the premises anyway, let alone have to pay extra. Virtually everybody would take a car, so it's important to do everything possible to make it easy for them. I know it's slightly different, but if you stay at a city centre hotel with no car park, they will usually pay for or heavily subsidise the nearest NCP. They have to, otherwise nobody would stay there

[harcourtv57]

It's fairly unusual to not have parking actually on the premises anyway

Not always true - we have three properties in Portsmouth, which is a very heavily populated city mostly built in late 1800s and early this century - no cars then:) so 95% of properties in the city don't have parking. Consequently of our three properties only one has an allocated parking space. One of the others is on street parking only and the other is by means of a parking permit which does not guarantee you a space but allows you to park on the metered areas on the seafront outside the apartment at no extra cost. We have to buy these permits from the local authority. We make all of this very clear on our listings and also advertise the properties as not needing a car - quite a few of our visitors come by train as a result

[The Stig]

It's fairly unusual to not have parking actually on the premises anyway

Not always true - we have three properties in Portsmouth, which is a very heavily populated city mostly built in late 1800s and early this century - no cars then:) so 95% of properties in the city don't have parking.

I did say fairly unusual, and still believe this to be the case. Clearly there are exceptions, and city properties are often likely to fall in this bracket

[Big Sis..]

Hi JVCC and welcome to the Forum.

Great advice from our Resident Rabbit, I cant better it.......

Good luck with what you decide to do .

Do other people rent out in your area, and what arrangements do they make??

[roxytoo]

If it's a question of cost of one weeks OFF season rental (for a year?) I think I would offer that and let peeps know that!

[jvcc]

Well, I appreciate all this excellent advice and information! I think everyone has good points, and different properties do have different situations.

There are other cottage in my town and as far as I can make out most have a parking space or garage, and one obviously does not and there is no mention of parking at all on their website...

I think I will have to bit the bullet and buy a permit. I am only just starting again (had a long term tenant for 2 years) and in the past it was very cheap for me to offer a permit, but now it's over 200 pounds.

So far with any enquiries I have explained the parking situation and reduced the price by a week's parking. I am a little afraid that if I explain on the website it may put people off from even enquiring, but I am making it clear when they contact me to avoid any misunderstanding.

Invaluable website and forum full of such knowledge and insights!

www.somersetholidayhome.com