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self-catering cottage businessBoshers Ltd

Protecting your self-catering cottage business from the unforeseen

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self-catering cottage businessHaving the right insurance cover will help you run your self-catering cottage business with confidence. As a holiday letting insurance specialist we have pulled together a few pointers to consider when insuring your cottage complex:

  • Don’t forget however many bookings you take, you are running a self-catering cottage business

There are a wide range of properties being made available for holiday letting. You may holiday let an annexe of your main home, a second home or apartment, a barn conversion, cottages in a complex, or even shepherd’s huts. If they are within the grounds of your home, be sure to make your home insurance provider aware. Home insurers often do not like businesses being run from the premises and you risk invalidating your cover. Seeking advice from a holiday letting insurance specialist will help you ensure you get the right cover for both the holiday cottage business and your home.

  • Make sure you have the right liability cover for holiday letting

Inviting paying guests into holiday accommodation will inevitably see the occasional slip, trip or injury. It’s vital that you have sufficient Public Liability cover and if you have a hot tub or swimming pool there is a greater risk of Legionellosis so check you also have cover for this. You may employ gardeners, maintenance and housekeeping staff for changeovers. If you do, it is a legal requirement for you to have Employers Liability insurance. Remember, even if you are directing the work of self-employed contractors or employing friends to work on your property, you’ll still need this cover.

  • Protect your income, not just your assets

Loss of income whilst a cottage is unavailable following a claim is often overlooked. Make sure your policy covers all potential bookings lost, not just pre-booked holidays. Your property may be unavailable for a sustained period in the event of a major loss such as a fire, flood or burst pipe, ensure your self-catering cottage business income is fully protected.

  • Heed guidance if you are providing facilities to your guests

Many owners provide additional facilities to help attract guests and secure increased occupancy levels. This may be outdoor play equipment, a swimming pool, sauna or hot tubs. Equally we see pets’ corners, fishing lakes and wedding venues. To protect yourself and your guests, risk assess your additional facilities, provide instruction leaflets and refer to RoSPA safety guidelines. Remember to inspect equipment regularly. Declare all facilities to your insurers and be aware that your policy may contain conditions that you need to follow.

Get the right insurance advice for your self-catering cottage business

The team here at Boshers devote their time to advising owners across the UK on insurance for their self-catering cottages. We’ve been arranging this specialist type of insurance for over 30 years. We understand that each self-catering cottage business is unique. We’ll take time to understand your needs and provide you with insurance advice and the right cover.

For additional tips and information on holiday letting visit boshers.co.uk/blog. If you would like an insurance quote for an individual holiday home or cottage or for your self-catering cottage business, give the team a call on 01237 429444.

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Drone Photography for Holiday Homes - Uppermoor Farm Cottages

Drone Photography for Holiday Homes

Drone Photography for Holiday Homes - Uppermoor Farm CottagesHave you ever wondered what it would be like to gain a truly unique view of your holiday home or holiday cottage complex? To take to the skies and give those visiting your website a real feel for the fantastic location in which your cottage nestles?

If a photograph speaks a thousand words, the boundless opportunities aerial video provides cottage owners to illustrate the bigger picture and areas of natural beauty in which so many are situated are limitless.

If you’re considering adding aerial film to your marketing arsenal here are just a few things you’ll need to be aware of…

Drone Photography for Holiday Homes – How does it work?

UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), also known as ‘drones’, have become increasingly popular for producing eye catching promotional videos.

They are commonly able to fly up to 400 meters high, providing you with potential views and film of your holiday cottage from a very rare perspective.

Selecting a Supplier

There are plenty of suppliers on the market so getting the right one for your cottage is essential. Always ensure you gain more than one quote, and all quoting on a like-for-like basis.

A professional drone photographer will be able to show you their portfolio of previous work enabling you to select one who’s eye for a good panoramic will show off your self-catering holiday letting property to it fullest potential.

Your quotes should take into consideration the following areas:

The Permissions you’ll need

As they’re taking to the skies your supplier will need permission from the Civil Aviation Agency (CAA). Permission to fly will be required as they’re flying on a commercial basis, and because the flight will likely be within close distance to people, vehicles and other houses / cottages in the area.

Make sure that your supplier will be sorting out all of the necessary permissions prior to your agreed date for filming. Also that all costs surrounding this are covered in the quote they provide you with. You’ll also need to ensure that they are carrying the correct liability insurance for the photography services they are providing.

The Time of the Year – Battling the Weather

It stands to reason that your holiday cottage is going to be looking it’s best during the summer months. Wind (above 20mph) and rain could put a real dampener on your video and potentially stop a flying day all together.

Make sure you have an agreement with your supplier. It should cover what happens if your flying is interrupted or cancelled due to inclement weather. Ask how quickly they’ll be able to book you in again if the weather does scupper the best laid plans.

Think about editing costs

It’s not just about the flying; the end video will need to be edited and supplied to you. Editing video can be a time consuming process, so make sure your supplier is factoring this into their quote.

It’s also a real talent so take a look at their previous work. Even ask if it’ll be the same person editing and putting yours together. You want your end video to do your cottage justice and this’ll enable you to guarantee the quality you’ll be getting.

Technical Considerations

The first question to ask is how quickly your video will be completed and supplied to you after filming day. The summer months will be busy with bookings so you’ll want it to be completed as soon as possible.

If you’re not a technical wiz kid, will they help you upload it to a player?  The two most common players are YouTube or Vimeo, both will be able to be easily embedded on your website for everybody to enjoy.

Here’s a great example of how drone video photography can be combined with still photography to produce stunning results. Click this link to view – Uppermoor Farm Cottages video flythrough.

We wish you every success with your new video!

Do you have any thoughts or experience of using drone photographing for holiday home marketing? Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to holiday letting owners across the UK. Looking for more information on how a specialist insurer can help and support your holiday home business? Please give us a call on 01237 429444.

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