Coronavirus - is it affecting your bookings?
Well I got it, and more! A 12 month extension of the mortgage term and a range of interest rate deals to choose from, out of which I chose the one that was fixed for a further 5 years and 0.43% less than our current fixed rate that had less than 6 months life left in it. Took 3 letters (remember them?) to do it though. And the threat of appearing in person at the lender's AGM later this week to argue my case if they didn't get back to me. I'm surprised more people aren't doing it (but then again maybe they are?). Well let's face it, it cuts both ways - savers are getting letters advising them that due to the 0.65% cuts in base rate in March, the interest is being cut by 0.65% and more. Well the lenders should be given a dose of their own medicine shouldn't they?Pengman wrote:If anyone has their place on a mortgage, in addition to the 3 month mortgage holiday, I've just asked my lender to a 12 month extension of my mortgage term by means of a 12 month extension of my low fixed term rate from 2 years to 3 years. Well why not? - we are living in extraordinary times. I'm not holding my breath though.
I came, I saw, I bought it.
This post from early March 2020 got lots of replies over the next 2 months but none since. Yet as I write it’s had nearly 20k views over the past 14 months (I suspect most of them in the spring and summer of 2020), so it’s obviously a ‘hot topic’. So how have things worked out for owners over the past year I wonder? Here in the UK our tax year runs 6th April to 5th of the following April and, speaking personally, 20/21 ended up being a pretty good year for us and 21/22 looks like being pretty good too (assuming the majority of guests don’t play the ‘free cancellation’ card). Anyone else care to comment?
I came, I saw, I bought it.
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- Location: Chester, North West England & Sidmouth, East Devon
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Our Devon house has been OK - turnover last year was average even with lockdowns and buffers between bookings. This year is looking better, could be one of our best if there are no more restrictions in the Autumn.
Our Chester house was completely different - bookings were terrible last year and still slow going this year. We only got by because it's on business rates so we qualified for the grants. Without them we would have had to go over to long term rentals or even sell up.The winter is usually stronger there - lots of pre-Christmas shopping etc. so I'm hoping that it will pick up later in the year, again, if there are no restrictions.
Our Chester house was completely different - bookings were terrible last year and still slow going this year. We only got by because it's on business rates so we qualified for the grants. Without them we would have had to go over to long term rentals or even sell up.The winter is usually stronger there - lots of pre-Christmas shopping etc. so I'm hoping that it will pick up later in the year, again, if there are no restrictions.
Jo
Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
20/21 was dreadful for us - we could only open properly for 3 months and even when "open" we weren't helped by our usual guests being forbidden to travel to us so we were essentially closed by default.
Here in Wales Drakeford has made it as difficult as possible for us with pubs being forbidden to sell beer even when they were allowed to open and the ridiculous restrictions on what shops could sell. Not much of a holiday! I was saddened today in Asda Llandudno to see that I was unable to buy any Welsh brewed beer at all. Whether the excellent craft breweries we have will survive I don't know.
Routinely giving us just hours of notice to re-open and being vague about the important detail. For example it is very unclear at the moment whether from Monday we can accept bookings from extended households where one of them is from England or whether we have to wait until the 17th. This lack of clarity has left many people booking in England rather than Wales.
I would expect to be fully booked from Easter to the end of October. In practice my first booking is from the 15th of May and if their extended household is disallowed then I will have to cancel that one too.
Here in Wales Drakeford has made it as difficult as possible for us with pubs being forbidden to sell beer even when they were allowed to open and the ridiculous restrictions on what shops could sell. Not much of a holiday! I was saddened today in Asda Llandudno to see that I was unable to buy any Welsh brewed beer at all. Whether the excellent craft breweries we have will survive I don't know.
Routinely giving us just hours of notice to re-open and being vague about the important detail. For example it is very unclear at the moment whether from Monday we can accept bookings from extended households where one of them is from England or whether we have to wait until the 17th. This lack of clarity has left many people booking in England rather than Wales.
I would expect to be fully booked from Easter to the end of October. In practice my first booking is from the 15th of May and if their extended household is disallowed then I will have to cancel that one too.
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