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Information for New Owners |
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For a full explanation of our services and charges, and details relating to your obligations as 'Owner' please download our Owners Guide, Schedule (relevant to your location) and Agreement (right).
For a quick summary, however, please see the various details below and/or contact Andrew Jones (Partner) for further information:
Andrew Jones
(01548) 843773
andrew@coastandcountry.co.uk
The Partnership between Owner and Agent.....explained simply!!
Our role and objective as Agent is very simply to bring together a 'buyer' (the holiday-maker) and a ‘seller’ (the property owner). We believe that to achieve this aim successfully we must firstly establish an honest and open relationship with our owners, setting sensible goals and targets for each property.
Each year we will write with our recommendations for rentals and request your confirmation of availability for the coming season. Normally we would ask for owner’s dates by late September in order that we can satisfy the high level of demand for both returning clients and new visitors to the area. We need the commitment from you with regard to these dates – the sooner we can offer holidays to the public the better the chance of a committed holidaymaker.
We ask you for a minimum of 6 July/August weeks from a total of 8/9 over the summer – the remaining 2/3 weeks are available for your own use or perhaps that of friends or family (the minimum number of weeks required for Salcombe properties may differ – please ask for further details). We recommend a total of 20 weeks be made available to us over the course of the full year as this offers the best opportunity to maximise the letting programme.
Our key reason for requesting a minimum number of weeks during high season is one of cost. To place a property on our system and fully promote it throughout the year does require a minimum number of weeks be made available to the agency. We also have a duty to patrons of our brochure and web-site that all properties featured are widely available at key times.
We act only as the sole letting agent to avoid the possibility of double bookings.
Essentially a successful partnership is dependent on the co-operation of both parties, therefore should you have some particular difficulty with these arrangements we are always happy to discuss other options with you.
3 Levels of Service
In a bid to offer the most flexible service to our owners, we offer three alternatives – Silver, Gold and Platinum – from which to choose.
SILVER (17% + Vat) : A full marketing and administration service suitable principally for owners in local residence or those who can rely wholly on a caretaker to co-ordinate cleaning, key collection, maintenance etc. (‘Silver’ service owners pay annually for brochure/web advertising. A management fee is also applicable where accounts are paid on an owners behalf).
GOLD (19% + Vat) : A full marketing and administration service with additional ‘management’ functions. Our service would include property checks at the start and end of each holiday, liaison with cleaner/caretaker, co-ordination of maintenance works and key distribution. (‘Gold’ service owners pay annually for brochure/web advertising. A management fee is also applicable where accounts are paid on an owners behalf).
PLATINUM (23% + Vat) : An all-inclusive, full marketing and management service ideal for owners who have limited time to deal with the day-to-day administrative and other responsibilities associated with a holiday home. Our service would include regular Winter property checks, direct payment of all bills (on the owner’s behalf), liaison with cleaner/caretaker, co-ordination of maintenance works, key distribution, and refuse collection (if appropriate) after each holiday. Annual brochure/web advertising and/or management charges are not applicable to ‘Platinum’ owners).
Preparing your Property for Visitors
Below are a few suggestions which lead to happy holidaymakers and therefore, we hope, regular repeat bookings!
First Impressions
● A good sign! An attractive and clearly visible house-sign will make it easier for visitors to find your property – after a long journey there is very little that is more frustrating than spending 1/2 hour searching for your holiday accommodation! A courtesy light should always be left on for evening arrivals.
● A welcoming tray set out with milk, tea and biscuits or alternatively a nice bottle of wine in the fridge!
● The property should be aired, with heating (when necessary), hot water and fridge, freezer and other essential units turned on ready for use.
Settling In
● All properties should have a ‘starter pack’ of basic essentials including toilet rolls, cleaning materials, soap, washing powder, dishwasher tablets and bin bags. Please don’t leave partially used bottles, jars and other half-used consumables as these create a poor impression (a secure cupboard or second fridge is the best option if you are a regular visitor to the property).
Information
● An attractive display folder, updated each year, is useful for holiday tenants and would perhaps list local restaurants, places of interest, maps, brochures, leaflets etc.
● A second folder including instructions on how to use appliances is also very useful – please make special note of any idiosyncrasies as this will help the tenant immensely and reduce the number of times we/you are called for assistance!
● Leave a ‘Visitors Book’ for comments and suggestions – it is always good to get feedback from tenants and in the long run this helps significantly increase the level of customer satisfaction.
Standard of Accommodation
As demand for self-catering has risen significantly in recent years so to have the expectations and aspirations of our holidaymakers! Our clients are clearly prepared to pay for top quality accommodation but they now expect standards at least as good as in their own homes. In addition to the main fixtures and fittings as set out in our inventory we would suggest the following:
General
● Your property should be well presented throughout with good quality furnishings, quality carpets or flooring and a high standard of decoration.
● You should ensure that the property is properly set up for the maximum number of visitors. For example if the property 'Sleeps 6’ there should firstly be beds for 6 persons (a sofa-bed would tend to be classed as ‘+2’) with sufficient bedding ie. Duvets, pillows, blankets etc.) for double the number of persons. In addition, adequate seating for 6 should be provided for in the lounge/sitting room plus 6 proper chairs at the dining table. The amount of crockery, tableware, cutlery and other similar items should take account of up to 2 sittings per day (ie. It is best to provide up to 12 of each of the main items).
● The outside of the property is as important as the inside, particularly in the peak Summer weeks. Ensure that adequate attention is paid to gardens, drive-ways and external lighting and that all outside areas are kept in good order. Please have sufficient dustbins for the size of party (holiday-makers tend to create more refuse than a typical residential party) and clearly outline the collection day within your information pack!
● For all tenants cleanliness is a major issue with kitchens and bathrooms the most important areas of the property. We would underline the importance of these areas to your cleaner/caretaker and will happily offer training and advice to ensure the property is cleaned effectively before each holiday.
Kitchens & Bathrooms
● The majority of modern homes enjoy the benefits of fully-fitted kitchens with all mod cons! It is increasingly common for tenants to seek holiday accommodation that provides an equivalent level of equipment – indeed items such as a microwave, tumble dryer and dishwasher are becoming more of a pre-requisite than a ‘luxury’.
● Good quality, hard-waring cookware is very important - it is likely that the speed of deterioration of these items will be higher than most others in your property and we recommend regular inspection and replacement if necessary.
● Bathrooms should also be well-equipped with a good quality shower now seen as essential by most visitors.
Lounge/Dining Rooms
● It is important that the living accommodation in any property is comfortable and equipped to a good standard. Lumpy sofas and stained dining room furniture can give a poor impression of an otherwise well-maintained property.
● It is wise to choose ‘low maintenance’ furniture that can be replaced every 3–4 years at reasonable expense – ‘throws’ are a great idea for sofas as they protect the furniture, can be washed regularly and give a good first impression!
● All properties should include a good quality television and DVD player (satellite receivers and/or Freeview options are still relatively rare but may become more sought after as the market develops). It is also recommended that you provide a music system of some kind (including CD player) although a small portable machine is sufficient in most cases.
Bedrooms
● It is preferable that a bedroom consists of no more than 2 beds (ie. 2 persons per room).
● Ensure that mattresses are of a good quality and comfortable – each should be covered with a waterproof protector (with a spare available for each bed).
● Duvets and/or blankets, pillows (+protective cases) should be provided for each bed. If linen is provided, at least 2 matching sets for each bed should be supplied to allow the caretaker the opportunity to wash/clean between lets.
● Wardrobes and drawers should be in good condition with adequate hangers (matching, please!)
We are sure that these recommendations will not have provided too many surprises for you but it is important to underline the high standards required to meet the expectations of the modern holiday-maker. We do feel it is appropriate to put yourselves in the shoes of an incoming holiday tenant to see if your property meets the necessary standards ...
Firstly they will have spent many days (if not weeks) selecting and then choosing your property, then months possibly saving up to pay for the holiday, more time again reparing for the visit and packing ready for the ‘big day', and then there’s the journey...
By effectively planning and preparing your property in advance of the visit your tenants’ expectations will always be met and as a consequence they are likely to return time and time again! |
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Property
Owners Information
