Only been renting since this June so I haven't worked out my prices for next year.
So do I play for time and send a nice email explaining I haven't set next year's prices and I'll get back to them?
Or, based on this year's prices (September and October - similar price bands I reckon), I could offer a 20% discount and they would pay their own electrics.
One minute that seems too low, the next too high.
Any thoughts anyone?
An enquiry for 6 weeks next May/June - help!
It depends how much you want a six week booking. If you really want it then you have to offer them a price straight away.
Look at your savings, no meet and greet, maybe less housekeeping as you won't do a full changeover clean, all these savings could be offered as a discount (they don't even have to know). If you are only going to up your prices by a few percent you could offer them 2011 prices instead of 2012 prices to cinch the deal. I agree that 20% sounds a lot if you know you will fill these weeks - like I said it depends how attractive the booking is to you in the first place.
Look at your savings, no meet and greet, maybe less housekeeping as you won't do a full changeover clean, all these savings could be offered as a discount (they don't even have to know). If you are only going to up your prices by a few percent you could offer them 2011 prices instead of 2012 prices to cinch the deal. I agree that 20% sounds a lot if you know you will fill these weeks - like I said it depends how attractive the booking is to you in the first place.
Right, thanks you two.
Yep, I thought of the scam (especially as the email addy is at yahoo) but have googled the email and have come up with a name, profession....and a photo! Which seems to tie up.
Right, will offer this year's prices plus a (not too big) discount and see what happens.
Think I can let June next year...not sure about May as haven't done a May before.
Yep, I thought of the scam (especially as the email addy is at yahoo) but have googled the email and have come up with a name, profession....and a photo! Which seems to tie up.
Right, will offer this year's prices plus a (not too big) discount and see what happens.
Think I can let June next year...not sure about May as haven't done a May before.
6weeks
Tavi
Nice dilemma.
Don't think you should play for time or tell them you haven't worked out next year's rates, may come over as been a bit unprofessional. Most folk's on here seem to be taking booking for next year already (we have) - some lucky ones even for 2013 - so you do need to pull your finger out and get them worked out.
Couple of suggestions:-
1. Take your current rates for the same period this year and add a suitable percentage for next year's increase and then quote them the lumpsum less a small discount for early booking - say 5%-10%. In Southern England we've upped ours by 10% during the peak and 20% for the Olympic month (we're near to Weymouth) - we offer a 10% discount for early booking. It all depends on where you are and what the competition is doing.
I'm assuming that you include all utilities in your holiday rental pricing, I wouldn't get involved with discounts for them paying the utilities separately unless you can accurately cost it via electricty, gas and water meters; in which case you can then giver them a bigger discount (no more than 12.5%-15%) and let them pay the utilities before they depart based on meter readings - you will have to agree the charges for the units used in advance (all a bit messy really!).
2. Same as 1 but without an annual increase, only 5% discount for early booking. Point out your keeping this year's rates for them.
3. You can take the above figures (1 or 2) and ask them if they want weekly cleaning/change of linen & towels excluding. You may want to provide two sets which they can launder themselves during the stay or they can bring their own for the duration. Nicer if they did the laundry and you could then discount your usual laundry costs (depending on the option) and have a holiday yourself.
It's all getting a bit complicated - tell them your fully booked!
Steve
Nice dilemma.
Don't think you should play for time or tell them you haven't worked out next year's rates, may come over as been a bit unprofessional. Most folk's on here seem to be taking booking for next year already (we have) - some lucky ones even for 2013 - so you do need to pull your finger out and get them worked out.
Couple of suggestions:-
1. Take your current rates for the same period this year and add a suitable percentage for next year's increase and then quote them the lumpsum less a small discount for early booking - say 5%-10%. In Southern England we've upped ours by 10% during the peak and 20% for the Olympic month (we're near to Weymouth) - we offer a 10% discount for early booking. It all depends on where you are and what the competition is doing.
I'm assuming that you include all utilities in your holiday rental pricing, I wouldn't get involved with discounts for them paying the utilities separately unless you can accurately cost it via electricty, gas and water meters; in which case you can then giver them a bigger discount (no more than 12.5%-15%) and let them pay the utilities before they depart based on meter readings - you will have to agree the charges for the units used in advance (all a bit messy really!).
2. Same as 1 but without an annual increase, only 5% discount for early booking. Point out your keeping this year's rates for them.
3. You can take the above figures (1 or 2) and ask them if they want weekly cleaning/change of linen & towels excluding. You may want to provide two sets which they can launder themselves during the stay or they can bring their own for the duration. Nicer if they did the laundry and you could then discount your usual laundry costs (depending on the option) and have a holiday yourself.
It's all getting a bit complicated - tell them your fully booked!
Steve
"Write something, even if it's just a suicide note"
"There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise"
"As for my amnesia, I've had it as long as I can remember"
Real name: Steve
Gender: Male
"There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise"
"As for my amnesia, I've had it as long as I can remember"
Real name: Steve
Gender: Male
Thankyou essar for your useful advice.
The six week price, based on this year is £1800, - seems like a fortune to me - it's probably peanuts to some of you aha! - but it feels like a lot of money to be asking for. (note to self: must toughen up)
You're right, forget the paying their own utilities.
Yes quite a lot of competition in the area, and some are somewhat cheaper than me. But..... they don't have my cute view, and I've been getting some great feedback on the comfort stuff, so...maybe I'm worth it.
One Thousand Eight Hundred Pounds. Eighteen Hundred Pounds. £1800. Yup. it sounds like a lot of dosh whichever way you present it. How about 180 ten pound notes? Aha! Now that's much less! Or how about "less than forty three quid a day"? "Only thirty tenners a week"? It starts to sound good value when you break it down.....tavi wrote: The six week price, based on this year is £1800, - seems like a fortune to me - it's probably peanuts to some of you aha! - but it feels like a lot of money to be asking for. (note to self: must toughen up)
Big numbers are scary, but they're just a lot of little numbers added together. Go for it. Tell them that for six weeks it's just £300 a week and let them do the maths.
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Hells Bells
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I've got a 4 week booking staying in my place at the moment. I got to the price by deducting 3xweekly cleaning costs and 4x weekly laundry costs from the price as they were happy to bring their own linen.
As they were Belgian and could easily do a Euro bank transfer I then also removed the Paypal fees that I wouldn't need to pay.
I'm not out of pocket at all, but it looks like I gave them quite a large discount
As they were Belgian and could easily do a Euro bank transfer I then also removed the Paypal fees that I wouldn't need to pay.
I'm not out of pocket at all, but it looks like I gave them quite a large discount
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Wendy@NorthIdaho
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- Location: North Idaho, USA
- Contact:
I just had someone ask for the same, I told them that the price was the same weekly rate X the number of weeks wanted for the high season weeks as I can rent them out weekly so don't want to lose money.... but would give a discount on the shoulder and low season rates. Didn't take me up on it but I'm o.k. with that as there is no sense in discounting now when it's still 6-8 months in advance. So don't sell yourself or your place too cheaply too early!
My 2 cents,
Wendy
My 2 cents,
Wendy
New Vacation Rental called DayStar Lodge! (Sold Narrows Cottage now have a rental management company called A-List Rental Management)
Re: An enquiry for 6 weeks next May/June - help!
May, June is definately NOT the same price band as September October. Unless Portugal is different from the rest of Europe, there will be weekends that you can let for an increased rate in May, and June is very popular for those wanting great weather without the crowds. We tend to put our prices up for the Assencion weekend, so the 2 weeks before are the same price as the first 2 weeks in September, Asscension and thereafter is nearly 50% more.tavi wrote:
Or, based on this year's prices (September and October - similar price bands I reckon),
With the exception of the last week in May, which is at a higher price, my prices are the same in Sept/Oct as May and June too.
If you charge a higher price in May are you always fully booked? Maybe I'm missing a trick because my gites are always booked then, but at low season price. Not sure I'd get the 100% occupancy at higher rates at that time of year.
If you charge a higher price in May are you always fully booked? Maybe I'm missing a trick because my gites are always booked then, but at low season price. Not sure I'd get the 100% occupancy at higher rates at that time of year.
Too early for me to tell yet, but in the little houses I have very broad pricing low, medium and high - not that much difference 325 - 450€. So, I don't worry about the pricing so much.
Big house, big difference. In theory 890 to 1800€, but last season some weeks were sold at 600€, and you feel that kind of difference in price, so I have priced weeks differently based on school holidays, half terms and bank holidays. The result is the low and medium season are not just one broad stretch of time.
No idea how successful this will be as a policy, and I can always price down as the time approaches, but harder to do it the other way round. Two April weeks have gone, and neither at the low season price, so maybe its working. However, its complicated and when I did my pricing I literally did all, but high season, week by week.
Big house, big difference. In theory 890 to 1800€, but last season some weeks were sold at 600€, and you feel that kind of difference in price, so I have priced weeks differently based on school holidays, half terms and bank holidays. The result is the low and medium season are not just one broad stretch of time.
No idea how successful this will be as a policy, and I can always price down as the time approaches, but harder to do it the other way round. Two April weeks have gone, and neither at the low season price, so maybe its working. However, its complicated and when I did my pricing I literally did all, but high season, week by week.