Should we charge for extras?

Charging for extra services in your holiday home may prove to have a negative effect on the total annual bookings. It may well be more beneficial to be seen to be adding extras for free. These days most people are asking for 24 hr free internet connection during their stay. It has become the norm and the annual cost to you as the home owner is coming down all the time. For example I discovered that this offer is available: Online Exclusive - Plusnet Fixed Price Unlimited Broadband & line rental £19.99
You may feel that you would like to ask a small fee for this, but perhaps it is better to include it in your overall rental fee, or absorb it. The same could be true of adding Netflix or Sky. This way your guests will see immediately what the holiday will cost instead of having to add all the extras to find out what the actual final cost would be.
You could argue that by not advertising your hidden extras allows you to display lower prices... personally I do not like the 'starting from' prices, which are there to entice you further.

Try also adding "what's included in your stay" to illustrate the extras you are not charging for such as free towel and linen service, free cleaning service, free logs for the fire, free baby high chair, welcome goodies and soaps.

The one extra that we decided to add to the overall price was a flat rate refundable damage deposit. Since guests have no intention of damaging your property they will happily pay this as they know they will get it back at the end of their stay. You can read more about why we decided to have a damage deposit in a previous article: Are there bad holiday guests?

Getting the home ready

Holiday home furnishings need to be practical, comfortable and matching. Lounge suites for example should be covered with an easy-to-clean fabric or better still, real leather. Put yourself in your guest’s shoes: you are on holiday, you're going to want to relax in comfort and put your feet up on the coffee table so furnish the home with furniture that can take a bit of a wear and tear, but that won't break the bank if it needs to be replaced.

Buy the best beds you can afford. Everyone enjoys a good night sleep and this is particularly important when on holiday. Good linen is also a must, so consider buying something that boasts a higher-than-average thread count. Towels too should also provide that added luxurious touch.

Bathrooms especially need to be spotless and mould free and include complimentary soaps,  though not absolutely necessary shampoo will also impress your temporary guests.

The same goes for the kitchen. In addition to being immaculate, owners need to check that everything including the fridge and the stove are in good working order. All the crockery, cutlery as well as the pots and pans should be inspected before a tenant takes occupancy. If you have space for a dishwasher then this is also useful for your cleaner so that it can be running whilst the rest of the home gets attention.

Hang unique artwork, prints or photos on the walls around the property (except the bathroom) rather than picking up the usual prints from your local superstore or furnishing shop. Where possible display artworks created by local artists, this makes a great impression on your guests offering them a flavour of what's available in the area. You could also offer these for sale too.

Air conditioners, if you have them, should be serviced on a regular basis and must be in good working order. Batteries for all alarms, remotes and emergency torch should be checked and replaced where necessary.

Go and stay in the property at least once a year in order to check on the overall condition of the home, regardless of whether you use an agent to manage the property or not. Use this time to fix any snags and to replace broken appliances or fixtures as well as checking the overall condition of the property.

Display all your maintenance and safety certificates so that your guests may see that you are up-to-date and care about their comfort and safety.