The demand is expected to grow further as more guests experience the benefits of having their own space, facilities and security whilst they are away from home and as a consequence, many more people are seeing this as a great business opportunity to generate additional income by renting out their own homes whilst they themselves are away on business or holiday. Understandably, those who haven’t done this before often have some reservations before taking the plunge.
UnderTheDoormat has shared the most common concerns people have and provide some top tips to address these concerns.
1: Is it worth the hassle?
Many homeowners, especially those with families, think that it is a major hassle preparing their property for letting. They often think that they have to hide everything away. There’s no need to clear everything away
Guests are likely to be very similar to the homeowners themselves and want to enjoy a ‘home from home’ experience - so children’s toys just need to be tidy but accessible in a box, kitchen equipment such as blenders or smoothie makers can be left out as guests love to use them and access to things like bikes is loved. Personal photos also make the home feel more welcome.
2: Will it be worth the money?
Homeowners often underestimate how much money they can actually earn, especially if they rent out their home regularly. Get the help of a specialist short term letting company. Using a management company like UnderTheDoormat means they cover the costs for hotel quality bed linen, professional cleaning, insurance and marketing costs, so there are no additional costs for the homeowner. It often means they can upgrade their own holiday from the proceeds they earn from letting their home whilst they are away.
3: What about a catastrophe happening?
People are most fearful of a major catastrophe like their house burning down or their home being flooded but these are things that are most unlikely things to happen.
Problem detection, not cause. In most cases, having someone in the property instead of leaving it empty for extended periods of time has actually prevented damage as there’s someone there to spot things like mystery leaks before they get worse.
4: Strangers in your bed
One concern voiced by property owners is that they feel uncomfortable about the concept of someone they don’t know sleeping in their own bed.
Keeping bedlinen separate. UnderTheDoormat reminds them that the people renting their home are likely to be very similar so they shouldn’t really worry. They provide professional quality linen anyway, so the homeowner's sheets are safely tucked away for their return.
5: Concerns about security
People can be worried about guests not being as aware of the need for security as they would be by leaving gates, doors and windows open when they are out.
Being visibly occupied is a good deterrent. It is recommended that homeowners leave clear instructions of what to close and lock before leaving the property in both the pre-arrival confirmation and welcome pack. It also suggests that the installation of an alarm system, security locks on specific windows that cannot be opened and locking up things like sheds or outside storage with padlocks should go a long way to preventing any trespassing or break-ins.
But an added benefit is that your home won’t be empty whilst you are away, which is especially important in the winter months when lights on in the house will make it appear as if someone is home. UnderTheDoormat has one customer who donates all their short let earnings to cancer research and is happy to enjoy the added security of having someone stay in the property whilst they are away.
Annabelle Ottaway , Marketing Director, UnderTheDoormat, said: “We fully appreciate that making the decision to let out your home generates a number of concerns like the ones our customers have spoken about. Our experience in managing people’s properties as short term lets means that we know what issues are going to concern homeowners and can provide them with good advice. In the vast majority of cases, short term letting of your home goes off without a hitch. In actual fact, we often hear stories from homeowners who return to their premises to find it cleaner than when they left because guests have enjoyed it so much that they want to return to it so clean it thoroughly in the hope of being welcomed back!”
