Changing agency - existing bookings

[sortofscottish]

New poster here. We have a UK holiday let with an agency - and are thinking - for a variety of different reasons of switching to another agency but we have two bookings for May next year in the book with the old agency. Has anyone had experience of doing this and know if the bookings could be switched to the new agency? Or would the old agency still want to honour them? Or do we have to stick with the old agency until the guests have been?

Thank you.

[Ben McNevis]

Welcome, sortofscottish. I wonder which sort?

We started the big hoose with a local agent and departed from him after about 18 months. That left us with about 5 bookings still to run. There was no problem: he invoiced us for the commissions as agreed. The only effect of Agexit (agency exit) was that we got no further bookings through him.

I think that the existing agency would definitely want to honour the existing bookings - that's the only way they are going to get paid!

Where it might get complicated is if the agent is also the caretaker and provides the cleaning and laundry services. If that's the case, I think that you need to talk to the existing agent about terms and conditions post-agexit.

I also wonder whether you really need an agent at all? Do you rely on the agent to get 100% of your bookings or are you getting some yourselves? If not, why not? I know we're all different be we used an agency initially in order to start with a bang. As soon as we found that we were able to fill the house ourselves, we were able to dispense with the agent. The agent was good, but concentrated on local advertising which brought too many 3-night stays booked long in advance which really mucked up our calendar.

[Cymraes]

It's going to depend on your current agency's terms and conditions. I am honouring the bookings made by the agency I'm leaving as I would incur heavy financial penalties if I didn't.

Have you checked how much notice you have to give?

For the new agent I expect you'd just have to block the dates out as owner bookings which could have implications if you have restrictions on how many weeks you can have. Again you'd need to ask them. They'll be keen to have you on their books so you'll never be in a stronger position. Once you've signed up you're trapped.

[bessie]

Have you had the same email as me,large agency offering £500 to change to them.

[sortofscottish]

Thank you - that's really useful and I'll check the amount of notice we have to give on Agexit. Agencies are best for us, I think - we're not on site, or even in the same country - but I don't think it'll be a problem to have those two as owner bookings - luckily it's a pretty desirable property.

[zebedee]

Bessie wrote

Have you had the same email as me,large agency offering £500 to change to them. Wink

Ooh this sounds interesting! Perhaps something for members only???

[sortofscottish]

No financial incentive as far as we're concerned. A local agency feels like the best option...