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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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business rates

Business rates for holiday cottage complexes

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business rates for holiday cottage complexes

Business rates are a burden for many businesses across the country.  With the recent emergence of the ‘sharing economy’ and an explosion of listings onto platforms such as AirBnB in recent years (there are more than 60,000 in London alone), many holiday cottage complex owners have been left looking over the fence at those offering accommodation free from the taxation they face in running their own tourism businesses.

Professional Association of Self Caterers (PASC UK) lobbying on business rates

In January 2019, the Professional Association of Self Caterers (PASC UK), who are the only association dedicated to lobbying on behalf of the sector across the UK, secured a change to the way that rateable values are calculated for some self-catering businesses throughout England and Wales after more than a decade of urging for adjustments to be made.

The alteration effects the percentages the Valuation Office uses in order to arrive at the businesses’ rateable value, with the result meaning a potential reduction of approximately one-third for many holiday cottage complex owners with five holiday letting units or above. 

As the owners’ input into the business is now taken into consideration, it’s set to potentially benefit those small businesses that manage both the bookings and the guest welcome themselves, and where the self-catering business is a primary income stream for the owners.

Further information on ratable values

You can find further information on how rateable values have been reduced and the potential impact on your own business rates here:  https://www.pascuk.co.uk/business-rates

Businesses should be able to apply for the reduction directly, with those successful able to claim back any overcharge to April 2017, when the current revaluation became effective.

Alistair Handyside MBE, who leads PASC and has been in the self-catering industry for more than 15 years said “Although this is a major breakthrough, it still leaves business rates too high for those self-catering businesses that do not benefit from the £12,000 threshold.  PASC UK continues to get futher change from the Valuation Office and the organisation is part of a wide group lobbying for fundamental change to business rates.” PASC UK is also working on a number of other areas that directly effect holiday home and complex owners including the reinstatement of inheritance tax relief for genuine tourism businesses and ensuring the sector is safe and legal. For more information about them please visit: https://www.pascuk.co.uk/

Guidance on insurance for holiday cottage complexes and quotes are available from the Boshers friendly team on 01237 429444.

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holiday home booking scams

Holiday home booking scams `Vigilance is key’

holiday home booking scamsDid you know that there are 14 billion spam emails sent across the world every day? With that sheer volume you’ll not be surprised if one or two pop into your own inbox each day!

Whilst we can all turn a blind eye, perhaps muttering under our breath as we delete them from our rapidly filling inbox, the problem is that some are becoming more and more realistic; the lines between valid enquiries and booking scams are blurring.

This potential problem is further exacerbated for holiday homeowners when you consider that the majority of bookings are now taken online through booking engines. So how do you tell if someone is real or fake so you don’t fall foul of booking scams? A number of incidences have been recently reported where:

  1. holiday homeowners have taken a booking, the person has stayed at the property and;
  2. the payment has subsequently been denied after their departure
  3. the card used had been stolen or impersonated.

So what would you do in these circumstances? You’ve not only lost out on the payment for the stay but also lost out on letting it to someone else. A double loss.

The answer of course is as always to stay vigilant when taking bookings and investigate further if you have doubts over the validity of a potential booking. Here are just a few tips to hopefully help to ensure that fake bookings don’t make it past your proactive safeguards.

Look for some of the more obvious signs of faking

As we’ve already said, email correspondences and online bookings can be very sincere and on the face of it look completely legitimate. However, there are a few red flags that may arouse suspicion:

  1. Not providing a telephone number or other key pieces of verification information – this can be easily solved by making this a compulsory field of any bookings. You could also ask for their home address as a part of this process.
  2. Monitor very late and last minute bookings. If someone has obtained someone’s credit or debit card information, then it’s unlikely they’ll be planning their trip months in advance for fear of being caught. The majority of holiday home scams are concentrated around last minute bookings for short breaks.
  3. Some booking scams have involved individuals ‘arranging a surprise trip’ for someone else. Whilst this in isolation isn’t completely uncommon, if combined with the other potential red flags we’ve already mentioned it may arouse suspicion of scamming.

Trust your own instinct to prevent falling foul of booking scams

If you manage your own holiday home bookings, then you’ll have undoubtedly taken hundreds if not thousands over the years. Trust your instinct; if something around a booking doesn’t feel or smell right then investigate it. Give them a call. Look into things a little further and ask for additional information that would dispel any doubt.

If you’re still in doubt…

Where you have concern over a booking, consider asking for ID and to view the card on which they paid on arrival. If someone has stolen the personal information of another individual, then they’ll not have this to hand.

Use a good holiday letting agent…

Using a good holiday letting agency can also help you stamp out fraudulent or scam bookings. Working with cottage owners in the local area or even nationally, an agency will have an unrivalled knowledge and understanding. Not only will they get you new bookings, but also keep you as safe as possible from would-be scammers.

If you have been a victim of fraud it’s important to report it to the relevant authorities. You can report a fraud to Action Fraud using their online fraud reporting tool or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Boshers are specialist providers of holiday home insurance. For information on how we can help protect your holiday let business ,call us on 01237 429444

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electric-vehicle-charging-point-holiday-home

Install an electric vehicle charging point and attract more guests

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electric-vehicle-charging-pointHave you considered how installing an electric vehicle charging point could help attract more guests? The government announced it would ban the sale of new (non-hybrid) petrol and diesel cars from 2040. Many felt that this was such a long time into the future that the likelihood of it altering car buying patterns in the mid to short term were relatively remote.

Key developments from companies such as Volvo, who will no longer offer cars with only an internal combustion engine after 2019, have this week been followed by Oxford Town Council, who have indicated plans to ban petrol and diesel cars from their city centre from 2019 onwards.

With the tide of change rolling quicker than anticipated through the motor industry, some holiday homeowners have already been proactive in installing electric charge points for those guests that already own an electric car, and the increasing number that will in the future.

We take a look at your options and potential costs of installing your own electric vehicle charging point.

How many electric cars are there in UK?

Latest figures indicate there are 128,500 electric cars registered within the UK. Whilst this figure isn’t overly high, the growth in sales over the past four years has been. Over 123,000 electric vehicles registered over that period (88 per day).

What if the current growth rate continues over the next two years? It’s estimated there will be more than one million electric cars making their way around the UK before 2020.

What are your options when it comes to electric vehicle charging points?

Solutions available for your own holiday home will depend where your guest’s cars are located during their stay. The good news is that there are a variety of different options that can suit cars parked in the driveway, or cars parked within a garage.

The main difference in the offering is whether or not the charge point is freestanding or wall mounted, with the freestanding option obviously giving greater potential flexibility in terms of positioning.

Charging speeds can be at either 3kW or 7kW, with faster and higher powered wall units being roughly twice as fast, but as you may expect, they will be more costly than the slower option.

How much will it cost to install an electric vehicle charging point?

The prices vary from company to company but as an example, British Gas offer three different price ranges, depending on the type of unit you opt for. If you would like a single wall-box charger which are stated to be ‘ideal for small businesses with one or two electric cars’ their current price is from £1,480 for the unit and installation. Holiday cottage complex owner’s with multiple holiday lettings may require something more sophisticated, such as installing a freestanding charger, which starts at £6,330.

Are you are keen to avoid this initial outlay? Increasingly plug-in car manufacturers are offering deals or partnerships with charging point producers. In some cases these can provide a free home charging point.

There are partnerships available with Tesla for Destination Charging. Qualifying properties receive two Tesla Wall Connectors at no cost on the condition that they are installed in visible or convenient locations. You can read more here.

How much will it cost to charge a car?

When installing an electric vehicle charging point there may be concerns it will lead to a rocketing electricity bill. This is generally not the case. Electric charging usually costs around 20% of the price of fuel (as an average). This is however an increased cost to your holiday home (you wouldn’t usually top up their cars with fuel during their stay). Therefore it is important to establish how you’ll pass this cost on to your guests.

So do you want to charge your visitors per use, offer a flat rate, or offer the use of the charging point as an inclusive facility? This will all depend on how much the charging point will be used. Offering the facility will no doubt attract more guests who drive electric vehicles. You could also consider different charges for off-peak and peak seasons. The key here is to be up front and open about your pricing for those staying with electric vehicles.

Your holiday home insurance

Always update your insurer of any changes or alterations made to your holiday home business. Adding an electric charging point is no different. Be sure to use approved professional installers and providers. This will ensure reliability for your guests and quality of service for you as the holiday cottage owner.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. For information on how specialist insurance can help protect your holiday home business, call us on 01237 429444.

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Instagram and Holiday Cottage Marketing

Instagram and holiday cottage marketing | 7 top tips

Instagram and Holiday Cottage MarketingSocial media is one of the best ways for holiday cottages to promote themselves and build relationships with potential guests. Most owners have a Facebook page and maybe a Twitter account too. How about combining Instagram and holiday cottage marketing?

Hugely popular (there are over 400million monthly users!) and owned by Facebook, the photo-sharing social app is a great way to show off your holiday cottage. 68% of users engage with brands regularly, compared to 32% on Facebook, which means it is the perfect place to get noticed by potential guests, and build relationships with them that turn into bookings.

Okay so we’ve convinced you to download the app, now what? It’s time to post a picture. Before you start snapping away, there are a few things to think about. Here are our top seven tips for posting on Instagram as a holiday homeowner.

  1. Use high quality images

This may sound a bit obvious, but having an image that isn’t blurry or pixelated will give your post the solid foundations it needs; Instagram is, after all, a platform for sharing images! If you’ve had professional photography taken, then these can also be easily stored on your phone and shared through the App.

  1. Show off the cottage AND the local area

Your holiday cottage is part of a destination, so you’ll need to be using your posts to show the local area as well as your lovely property. Mix up the images you post, combining interior shots with local attractions and views.

Try to make them a similar style, maybe bright and vibrant, or calm and pretty – whatever suits your holiday cottage, its location and your target market! Filters are a great way to make an ok-picture look great, so play around with the settings and ready-made filters to find something that works.

  1. Get the caption right

Adding a picture of the sofa in the holiday cottage is fine, but once it captures someone’s attention what would make them take the interaction any further? That’s where your caption comes in.

Keep it short but make sure there’s plenty of personality in there, why not use an emoji or two? You should also use a Call To Action (CTA); this could be a simple line such as “find out more by clicking the link in our bio”, or a question that encourages interaction.

  1. Use hashtags, and use them properly

Hashtags, put simply, are used to create connections; they’re labels that allow people searching for a specific topic to find your post. For example, if you are a holiday cottage in Devon you might add “#Devon” to your post. If someone were searching for #Devon, they would then see your post in their search results.

To avoid using excessive amounts of hashtags (which looks very spammy!), think about what people would realistically be searching for. For a post of your Devon cottage living room using #sofa #livingroom #cushion won’t get you very far, instead try #Devon #holidayhome.

There’s some good news here; if you’re not sure which hashtag to use, Instagram shows you the volume of people using the hashtag as you begin to type it, providing you with valuable information and helping you to reach as many people as possible.

  1. Try a video

Video is becoming increasingly popular on Instagram. With the recent introduction of live videos and extended post times, it’s a great option for getting attention. Boomerang, an app that captures a short video and repeats it, is also becoming more and more popular on Instagram, so make sure you give it a go with those coastal waves or walks in the countryside.

  1. Interact

Instagram is a social media platform, so get social! Like and reply to comments, follow people back, and even share their photos. Although only if it relates to your holiday cottage or area. Remember that the overall promotion of the destination is a key to everyone’s success. Conversation is key! That’s what builds up relationships and encourages people to take the next step and book a trip.

  1. Post regularly

A little like Twitter, with so many users posting your images can be lost if you’re not a regular. Ideally, you should be posting twice a day (don’t panic that’s two minutes’ tops!). To reach those who are looking for a holiday, make sure you post at the right time. Consider when they’re likely to be on their phone and Instagram. For example Sunday evenings, as well as lunch time and after work.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. Require a quote for your holiday apartment, cottage or complex? Please give us a call on 01237 429444.

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business rates

Business Rates for self-catering accommodation

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business ratesBusiness rates for self-catering accommodation are unfortunately on the rise. If you have more than 13 beds you could be facing the biggest increase. The new rates will come into effect on 1st April 2017. The business rates revaluation have been highlighted in a recent report commissioned by The South West Tourism Alliance. This informative report highlights those with a rateable value above £12,000 may be hit with bills of between 43% and 71% higher than in 2010.

This news is disappointment to those working within the self-catering accommodation industry. It comes at a time when the Government has acknowledged that rural and coastal businesses are under pressure and in need of greater support.

We take a look at what the business rates rises means for holiday homeowners.

Who is set to be hit the hardest by the rise in business rates?

The government has hit those with the largest turnover hardest, leaving larger complexes facing the biggest increases; a self-catering business with 10 cottages that sleep six people may see a 71% increase on the business rate costs.

These new rates neglect to take into consideration the running costs of these complexes, including greater staffing levels, maintenance expenses and of course, the fact the majority will already be over the compulsory VAT registration limit.

Tables provided by The South West Tourism Alliance indicate that more than 36,000 local accommodation providers will be effected, with the bulk of those offering 1 to 4 bed spaces, and potentially paying in excess of 30% more than they were in 2010.

The effect of business rates rises

By this point owners will have set their prices for 2017 and in some cases for 2018 too. As a result, there is likely to be little room to manoeuvre when it comes to passing these costs on.

Once the full impact of the rate increases has been felt, and taking into consideration the current rate of inflation, it’s almost inevitability that prices will need to rise. This is particularly disappointing at a time when the weak pound against the Euro has made the staycation an increasingly attractive economic option for domestic travel.

The new report also highlights the large impact that the rates will have on many communities. The South West in particular has many which are reliant on seasonal tourism. Any potential drop-off in occupancy as a result of higher costs will also hit associated trades and services.

There can be no better time for us to all come together in order to collectively promote cottage holidays. We have a great product, let’s make sure everyone knows about it.

You can read the full report here: SWTA – The Impact of Business Rates rises in the Self-catering Sector

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. Require a quote for your holiday apartment, cottage or complex? Please give us a call on 01237 429444.

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Insurance for Holiday Cottage Complex

Specialist Insurance for Holiday Cottage Complex Owners

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Insurance for Holiday Cottage ComplexAs a holiday cottage complex owner does the sound of teaming up with an intermediary specialising in insurance for holiday cottage complexes sound appealing? With more than 25 years experience of insuring properties just like yours, we’re here to help you.

What do we mean when we use the words ‘specialist insurance’? We devote our time to advising on insurance for holiday cottage complex owners and individual holiday homes across the country. We speak to owners each and every day; we understand what they want and what they need from their insurance provider, and from their insurance policy.

We believe our insurance helps and supports you when you need it the most; here are just a few examples of how our holiday complex insurance will do that for you…

Insurance for Holiday Cottage Complex Owners that includes £10m Public and Products Liability Cover

It stands to reason that the more cottages you own, the more visitors you’re likely to have during the year, and in particularly during those busy summer months.

It’s therefore vital that you have a sufficient amount of Public Liability cover.

Public liability insurance covers the legal liability of the policyholder for accidental bodily injury to third parties or damage to their property.

If for example, a visitor to one of your cottages sustained a serious injury as the result of an accident whilst staying with you, our insurance policy would cover you up to the sum of £10,000,000 in any single incident.

£10m Employers Liability Cover

Most holiday home complexes will employ people to work inside or outside of their properties, for example in the form of gardeners, maintenance and housekeeping staff for those all important changeovers.

If you do, it is a legal requirement for you to have Employers Liability insurance and this will cover you against injury or illness sustained in the course of their employment.

Remember, even if you are directing the work of self-employed contractors or employing friends to work on your complex during busier periods, you’ll still need this cover.

Accidental Damage

Sometimes accidents happen.  As we’ve already said, you’ll have a large number of guests staying with you each year, which can in turn make a mishap all the more likely.

Should a guest spill red wine on that wonderful new carpet you’ve laid, or cause damage to any of your properties as the result of an accident, Boshers will be able to cover you for the damage subject to the policy excess.

Theft or attempted theft, even when your cottage is occupied

A holiday is a time when most of us will let our guard down, and also spend a lot of time exploring, rather than inside a holiday home.  For this reason, holiday cottages can become targets for thieves, and despite the larger numbers of visitors on site at a holiday complex at any given time they are not immune to this.

We’re able to offer theft cover to complex owners, even when your cottages are occupied by paying guests.

Home Insurance too!

Want to have all of your insurances in one place? That’s not a problem; we’re also able to offer our complex owners the same high level of service and experience for their home insurance too.

Tailored and experienced

When you take out insurance with Boshers we’ll tailor the sums insured to make sure you have the right policy for your needs.  We’ll also talk you through all of the areas of cover we offer, along with why and when you may need them. We also understand that your cottage complex may have additional facilities such as hot tubs, swimming pool, a games room or pets corner to name but a few.

Additional guidance on insurance for holiday cottage complexes and quotes are available from the Boshers Holiday Home Insurance Team on 01237 429444.

For further information on UK holiday home insurance visit the website page most relevant to you:

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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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holiday home trampoline safety

Trampolines and Holiday Homes

holiday home trampoline safetyTrampolines and holiday homes, a fun combination or an accident waiting to happen? A fact many people won’t be aware of is that the lightest person on a trampoline is five times more likely to be injured. This happens through a phenomenon called “kipping”. This is where jumping at the same time causes the transfer of kinetic energy to the lightest person causing them to gain greater propulsive force and height. There’s an easy answer to prevent this, have a one at a time rule for your trampoline.

Whilst bumps and bruises are commonplace with the use of trampolines more serious fractures, neck and head injuries are not uncommon either. There are more than 10,000 trampoline related injures each year in the UK.

Many trampolines will be springing up across holiday home gardens in the next month or two. It’s vitally important for holiday home owners to effectively manage the risks. Whilst also allowing their visitors to enjoy the fun a trampoline can bring.

Providing your guests with clear guidance

Communicating with your guests on the safety surrounding your property and trampoline should be a vital element. Proactively managing the potential risks to your visitors demonstrates good practice.

Here are just a few points to be considering if you have a trampoline in your holiday home garden:

One at a time

  • On average 2.7 children are on a trampoline when an accident happens.  Allowing only one child at a time greatly reduces the potential for injuries.

The right trampoline for the right age 

  • Larger trampolines aren’t suitable for younger children and toddlers.  Always make sure you’ve consulted with the manufacturers guidance on the recommended age of use and ensure you’re visitors are aware.

Always supervise 

  • Whilst supervision doesn’t guarantee injury free play on a trampoline an adult should always be present and may be able to pick up on potential incidents before they occur.

Sensible dismount

  • One hospital has reported a third of the injuries they see are as a result of bouncing off the trampoline when dismounting.  Remember that although your trampoline should be placed on a soft surface such as wood chip or grass these can still be relatively unforgiving if dropping from a considerable height.

Somersaults

  • It can sometimes be tempting to push the boundaries and try new moves on a trampoline.  There have been incidents of serious neck and head injuries coming from children attempting somersaults on trampolines. It’s important to also let your visitors know that these moves shouldn’t be performed.

Stand back 

  • It it’s a child’s turn next on the trampoline make sure they’re kept a safe distance back from the trampoline whilst others are bouncing.

A trampoline can be a great asset for your holiday home. Being aware of the potential risks and having a proactive communication plan for your guests is important. This will increase the chances of injury free fun during those long summer evenings.

ROSPA Trampoline Guidance

For more information and guidance on trampoline safety please visit:

For further information and a quotation for your holiday home insurance call our specialist team on 01237 429444.

This article on trampolines and holiday homes has been created as generic guidance. It does not constitute legal or insurance advice. Do you have any questions relating to health and safety management and the provision of a trampoline for use by holiday letting guests? Discuss them with your broker or insurer and read the ROSPA guidance. 

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holiday home trampoline

Top Trampoline Tips

Top Trampoline Tips for Holiday Home Owners

For families on holiday a trampoline can be a desirable addition to your holiday home’s garden. Whilst bouncing up and down feet in the air will provide plenty of fun you’ll want to ensure you have the mechanisms in place to manage and minimize the risk of injuries to your visitors. One hospital recently reported that more than 100 children were admitted to their A&E during the summer months as a result of trampoline related injuries, many of which were sustained on trampolines without any netting or adult supervision. Our top trampoline tip is to seek the opinion of your holiday home insurance provider to ensure that they will extend liability cover for your paying guests to include the provision of a trampoline. holiday home trampoline

Top Trampoline Tips – Key Facts

  • There are more than 10,000 trampoline related injuries every year.
  • 75% of injuries happen when more than one person is on the trampoline, with the person lightest in weight 500% more likely to be injured.
  • Children under the age of six are most likely to be injured on a trampoline.

When buying your trampoline what do you need to look for?

No matter where you buy your trampoline, ensure it carries the CE or GS safety mark and that all of the springs are clearly covered by safety pads. The padding should be a different colour to the mat to make it clearly visible and if possible, look to invest in a design that includes netting so as to minimise the threat of visitors falling from the trampoline and sustaining injury.

Where to put your new trampoline

Early thought should be given as to where in your garden your trampoline should go and what size you’re able to fit in to this area. The trampoline when erected should have a safe and clear zone of at least 2.5 meters on all sides. This space should be free from trees, branches, fences, overhead cables or anything that could cause a hazard, including bicycles or other toys. Don’t be tempted to buy a trampoline larger than the size you can safely fit in your garden and ensure the manufacturers instructions are followed when you put it up and also when you take it down.

Finding the right ground

Your trampoline should ideally be placed on ‘soft energy-absorbing ground’ such as wood chip or soft grass.  Make sure you’re trampoline doesn’t span different types of ground and if you do have to place your trampoline on harder ground such as concrete or tarmac ensure there is always crash matting placed on the surrounding area to reduce the potential of injury from falling.

The importance of supervision

Whilst adult supervision is no guarantee of injury free play a spotter will often be able to greatly reduce the risk by picking up on potential issues before they arise. We recommend that our holiday home owners don’t have a trampoline in their garden unless they live adjacent to the property, such as would be the case for a holiday cottage complex, in order to not only manage risks during the summer months but also maintenance issues during the winter.

Maintaining your trampoline all year round

Whilst the number of bouncing children will increase greatly during the summer your trampoline will be with you all year and should be taken down during the winter and when not being used. This will avoid potential rusting and degrading of the quality of your trampoline, along with preventing it being blown away with the wind. There have been reported incidents of trampolines being blown in excess of 50 meters, causing large amounts of damage to properties and cars on the way. Ensure that your trampoline is dismantled and stored in line with the instructions provided by your manufacturer.

ROSPA Trampoline Guidance

For more information and guidance on trampoline safety please visit:

For more information on your holiday home insurance please get in touch with our dedicated team on 01237 429444. 

This article has been created as generic guidance for holiday home, cottage and holiday cottage complex owners and does not constitute legal or insurance advice. If you have any questions relating to health and safety management and the provision of a trampoline for use by holiday letting guests you should discuss them with your broker or insurer. 

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