Top Tips for New Holiday Let Owners

If you’re just starting on your journey as a holiday let owner, let us guide you on the right path to becoming an owner with Northumbria Coast & Country Cottages.

Read on for our hints and tips!

1.  Who is my target audience?

When starting out with holiday letting, an important thing to consider is what audience you’d like to attract. As Northumberland has some of the best beaches in the UK, coastal cottages will appeal to everyone from families, watersport enthusiasts, groups and couples. Whereas countryside cottages will suit walkers, nature lovers, groups and couples too who want to get away from it all.  Don’t forget – all of those groups could also be dog owners! A very popular choice for our guests.

Waters Edge Ref. 1121914

2. How will I drive my bookings?

Northumbria Coast & Country Cottages have offices in Seahouses and Alnmouth. Our team are the local experts in holiday rentals with a long history of experience.

We have the additional national marketing support from our sister brand Sykes Cottages and we work with over 500 partner sites such as Airbnb and Booking.com to ensure great visibility for your property.

3.  What type of decor should I choose?

For a holiday let, the décor is the icing on the cake. Even if it’s small, your property should aim for quality and a bit of wow factor.

You’ll need to be able to keep it in top condition, allow for heavy use through the peak seasons, so we recommend keeping an eye on the paintwork throughout the year and do a refresh when the season goes quieter.

It’s a wise investment to buy good quality furniture from the start, particularly at pet friendly homes where there is the potential for more wear and tear.. If you have unusual or luxurious decor, which appeals, we can potentially feature it on our social media channels or in a blog.

Rosedale Lodge Ref. 1121999

4. How do I make the best of my garden or outdoor space?

We’re always happy for our guests to come outside, in the warm summer months they just want to chill after a day sightseeing or maybe want to dine al fresco. The outdoor area is, in fact, another “room” that they can enjoy.

Even if your yard or patio is small, you will need comfortable outdoor furniture such as chairs, table and umbrellas. Keep it spick and span, and perhaps provide some outdoor games, barbecue or even install a hot tub for the ultimate chillout zone.

Mossyford Cottage Ref. 1122115

5. Shall I add a hot tub?

We have many guests who seek out properties with hot tub facilities for the ultimate luxury, and you can almost guarantee an increase in your bookings if you have one. If you want to check this out, we’ll work together with credited suppliers and maintenance teams for advice on the smooth running and safety measures that need to be in place.

Heather Cottages – Grey Seal Ref. 1122174

6. Shall I make it a Pet-Friendly cottage?

Since the pandemic, Northumbria Coast & Country Cottages have seen a huge increase in the number of people who want to holiday with their furry friends. We’ve monitored this market category and seen that pet friendly properties can increase your income by around 11%, and our research shows that more than 64% of guests are looking for a pet friendly place. Join over 300 of our cottages who allow dogs or pets which help to obtain healthy bookings all year round.

7. What about Short Breaks?

We really encourage our Owners to allow short breaks as this is an excellent way to increase your income. We can help fill any unwanted gaps in your calendar. Here at Northumberland coast & Country Cottages we can offer a selection of short breaks: Flexible, Winter, Off-season, Peak, Christmas & New Year and Last minute short breaks. 

When partnered with our Revenue Management tool, short breaks are a great option to increase your earnings and get you on your way to a highly successful holiday let.  Ask us to explain in more detail.

8. What about the finishing touches?

We know from experience that finishing touches are always appreciated, and make your guests feel a little bit special.

Welcome Packs: We would definitely recommend having a guest welcome pack/folder in your property. This is to ensure you have covered everything your guests may need during their holiday. We can help with this, please get in touch with our local team or see click here essential items guide for advice

Welcome Hampers: This is optional but guests are always impressed when properties have a even a small welcome hamper, especially when they may have travelled many miles. Its a lovely surprise!

Tea & Coffee:  A supply of tea and coffee for when your guests arrive is always appreciated, perhaps with a pint of milk in the fridge.

Basic cooking ingredients:  Salt and pepper and basic cooking oil, and herbs in the cupboard for general use. Even kitchen foil is helpful.

Umbrellas and torches:  A nice touch is to leave a couple of these in the hallway area for guests to use (and ask to leave behind for other guests!)

Books & Maps:  A few local walks, books and visitor attraction information is always useful. However ensure your cleaning team tidy this away after each stay ready for the next guests.

Throws and cushions: These are great for snuggling in and getting cosy. Perhaps some could be used for outdoor and garden too, but ask guests to keep them in the house in the rain.

Willow Ref. 1122046

9. How on earth will I manage it all?

Whether you live locally or abroad, we want every owner to feel rest assured, when you let your property with us, you can be as hands-on or hands-off as you like. If you’d prefer us to look after your property for you, then you can opt into our fully managed service (subject to geographical location).

Included in this service are things such as organising a dedicated cleaner for your property, carrying out and helping with any maintenance work, and doing periodical inspections to check all is OK in your property.

Our Owner Portal and App will help: All our property owners will benefit from their own, personal online portal and we have created an App too. Here you can access all the important details about your holiday let including your bookings, financial statements, guest feedback and pricing. You can also find useful tips on the portal about things such as health and safety guides, information on short breaks & any current updates and helpful advice we feel you need to know about.

10. Who will look after me?

As a Northumbria Coast & Country Cottages owner you have peace of mind that our friendly local team are always on hand to answer your queries as quickly as possible. You can reach us by phone & email, or visit our local offices located in Alnmouth & Seahouses, where we have teams of local staff who know the area inside out.  We’re also here to speak to your guests whenever they need us too – our out of hours helpline ensures 24/7 support for emergencies, so you don’t have to worry about being disturbed.

11.  How about Farm Diversification?

If you’re looking to diversify your land then holiday letting could be the perfect answer. Convert your outbuildings, or erect new ones, and open up new opportunities to generate some extra income.

Glamping pod

12. I’ve a friend who is interested….

If you know a friend or family member who’s thinking of holiday letting, refer them to us or any other one of our sister brands,  and if they bring their property on board with us, you’ll each receive £250 cash! There’s no limit to how many people you can refer, so get spreading the word!

To kickstart your holiday let and bring in some bookings you can email us at newowners@nccc-ltd.co.uk. If you’d rather call, telephone us on 01665 830783 or click here for your free owner pack!