For those thinking about renting out a second home or purchasing a holiday let, it’s important to be aware of the costs and steps to take. From taxes through to maintenance fees and mortgages, here’s all you need to know.
Take care of taxes
The good news is that there is a collection of tax benefits that holiday homeowners are eligible for which can make holiday letting more attractive than owning a buy-to-let.
For example, the HMRC allow running costs and expenses to be deducted from your overall income, meaning the amount of tax you pay on any profits is lower, and owners are also given capital allowances on items that are used to boost the potential income of their holiday let, like furniture.
But there are still several taxes to be aware of. Owners of holiday lets need to pay Council Tax which can be higher than regular properties and differs by region, while Stamp Duty is another one to take into consideration. The latter requires second homeowners, including those that are let out, to pay an additional 3% tax on top of current rates.
Income generated from your holiday let will also be subject to income tax. The caveat to this, though, is that there isn’t a limit on the amount of mortgage you can offset with the profits you make from your holiday home.
And finally, if you sell a holiday let, you might be able to benefit from certain capital gains tax reliefs, such as Entrepreneurs Relief.
Managing your mortgage
If you’re planning to purchase a property to rent out as a holiday home, you’ll need a special holiday let mortgage which differs slightly from a residential or buy-to-let one.
The deposit required for this will depend on the mortgage product you choose, with the different types including fixed-rate, discounted-rate, and flexible-rate mortgages, but it usually sits at around 25-35%.
It’s a good idea to look for a broker specialising in this area and be prepared that mortgage lenders will want reassurance that your property has the potential to make a successful holiday let.
Budget for maintenance fees
Once your property is up and running as a holiday let, making sure it remains in tip-top condition for guests is key.
Although this can come at a cost, with holiday let owners spending a yearly average of £1,520 on maintenance fees such as plumbing, electrics, and gardening, it will likely be worth every penny.
There are also ways to cut these costs. For example, if you live nearby, you could take on the cleaning and gardening yourself rather than outsourcing this service. What’s more, maintenance fees are likely to be less expensive for holiday lets than buy-to-lets, as you’re able to keep a closer eye on the property and make smaller adjustments more regularly to spread the cost.
Holiday let agency fees
Holiday let agencies are there to support you along every step of your holiday letting journey, from helping you to choose the right property for you, to taking care of marketing.
Agencies typically take around 20% commission from each booking for their services, but this can vary based on the level of support you receive from them.
Although an added cost, agencies go a long way to help drive staycation bookings and can help manage the finer details such as advising on pricing or managing any customer requests.
A few added extras
Last but not least, there are a few more costs to holiday letting to factor in.
It’s essential to insure your holiday let so you’re protected should anything go wrong. Generally, standard home insurance policies don’t cover holiday lets, so you may need to take out a specialist policy. This will typically provide cover for both buildings and contents, along with additional protection tailored for holiday rentals.
You may also like to have some money set aside for updating the furnishings in your property or giving the interiors a general refresh. Small touches such as welcome packs go a long way towards driving bookings and making guests feel at home, while additions such as hot tubs or log burners have been proven to significantly increase income.
