Times they are a changing, and never has that been truer than in the area of negative feedback and guest complaints. Where people would in times gone by leave their feedback in a comment book placed within your holiday home and raise any issues over the phone during their stay, these comments and issues are […]
Bunk beds will undoubtedly form great childhood memories for many of us; and when it comes to a holiday cottage or any other property they can be a real space saver. Is your holiday home family friendly? Do you already have, or are considering bunk beds? Here are a few pointers you need to consider… […]
The start of any holiday is an exciting feeling; you’ve got your out of office on, you’ve packed your car and you’re on the road heading to an idyllic holiday home. First impressions are everything, so what better way to greet your guests on arrival than the smell of the contents from your sumptuous welcome […]
The peak letting season is almost upon us. It’s time to get organised and start preparing for an influx of guests (and sunshine!). It’s vital that your holiday home is ready for everything the peak period has to throw at it. And that you’ve also taken every precaution to ensure that guests have a happy […]
Dog friendly holiday home insurance is well worth considering if you offer pet friendly self-catering accommodation. The dog-friendly tourism market is one that’s grown exponentially over the past decade. This isn’t surprising considering that a staggering one in four UK households has a dog to call their own. With more and more of us taking […]
Holiday homeowners please be proactive as the country braces itself for a big freeze and snow for the remainder of February. The advice comes as the Met Office forecast temperatures across much of the UK to plummet well below freezing and have issued a Yellow Warning for persistent snow showers in the East. Conditions such […]
The BBC documentary series Blue Planet and several other high profile media campaigns have recently shed a considerable amount of focus onto the topic of single-use plastic and recycling. As tourism businesses and holiday homes are often located in some of the most outstanding and naturally beautiful places on the planet, how can we contribute […]
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) has for a long time been a measure of the efficiency of a property. Changes to which properties require an Energy Performance Certificate arrived into legislation back in April 2018. As a result we have been asked by many holiday homeowners where they stand. Whilst we’ll often bemoan forever increasing […]
40,000 homes across the UK (more than 100 per day) fall victim to fire. The consequences of a fire can be severe or even fatal. This is especially true if a fire alarm system is not installed. When it comes to our own homes we’ll often be familiar with the quickest or most appropriate exit; […]
As the nights get longer the weather is often more unpredictable and the risk of powercuts increase. Emergency lighting in its basic form can be cost efficient and will ensure your holiday home guests are not left in the dark. In the event of a standard power cut, the provision of torches or alternative lighting […]
Have 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 […]
As the summer of 2017 drew to a close the anecdotal feeling throughout much of the industry was that it had been a busy one, and we’re delighted to say that the latest Visit Britain tourism figures make very pleasant reading for those within the UK’s thriving tourism sector. The number of tourists visiting the […]
Most holiday homeowners will be familiar with the traditional ‘Access Statement’. However often this is a cold document outlining all of the specific accessibility features your property has. Visit Britain has now introduced Accessibility Guides to help improve the format of the documents being produced. This is with a view to making them more informative for […]
Many of us still love a bit of character in a property. For those of us that do there are few better thoughts than a cosy night in front of a fire. During the winter when the air is cooler and the nights are longer a fire or wood burner really appeal. If your holiday home […]
Why should holiday homeowners be concerned about flexible braided hoses? No matter the size of your holiday home there’s one thing that we can guarantee; it’s going to have a kitchen, bathroom and no doubt an ensuite or two! Within these you’ll have sinks, behind which you’re going to have pipes feeding the hot and […]
It’s time to consider how well you illuminate the way to your holiday letting property with outside lighting. With British Summer Time at an end for another year the mornings and nights will soon be much darker. So if you’re welcoming guests during the winter months, ask yourself how well-lit is the exterior of your […]
Japanese Knotweed – two words that are likely to send a shiver down the spine of any homeowner in the UK. Now it’s top of the list when it comes to the most unwanted plants in our gardens! It’s easy to understand why if you consider that Japanese knotweed: grows at an alarming rate of up […]
It’s the time of the year when many holiday homeowners take a deep breath. Maybe enjoy their first weekend in a while free from back to back bookings and challenging changeovers. Or even stay in the holiday property themselves. Sound familiar? Holiday homes across the country will have welcomed hoards of people through their doors during […]
A question that all holiday homeowners will have asked themselves, or perhaps wonder when their insurance is up for renewal. How much should I be paying and is it value for money? So how much should your holiday home insurance cost? When it comes to insurance, the true cost is the price you would pay […]
As a self-catering business providing accommodation to paying guests you’ll need to know about the Equality Act 2010. You’ll also need to be complying with it. The Act, which replaced the Disability Discrimination Act, aims to protect anyone that is: disabled thought to be disabled or is associated with someone who is disabled. What does this […]
We live in a society in which we are all growing more and more conscious of the world in which we live and the impact we make upon it. Recent news of motor manufacturers moving away from gas-guzzling cars towards cleaner electric vehicles are indicative of this change. Indeed there is a trend towards sustainable […]
As specialists in holiday let insurance we advise thousands of holiday cottage owners across the United kingdom. Providing them with policies tailored to the unique needs of their holiday homes. We also offer many of them that same level of service when it comes to insuring their own home. Whether you live onsite or miles from […]
More than 400 million people login to the photo sharing app Instagram every single day, and as a result one thing that a growing number of us will take for granted is the ability to quickly and easily edit our photos, add a filter and improve their quality, all with just a few flicks of […]
When it comes to your holiday home you want everything to be perfect for your guests arrival. Central to achieving this are those little things, many of which will come under the cleaning, cleanliness and housekeeping banner; VisitBritain believe ‘housekeeping is probably the single most important part of the holiday home letting process’. It’s also […]
Have you considered what would happen if your holiday home became the victim of fire? Whilst we hope it won’t happen to us, there are more than 40,000 house fires across the UK each year. Therefore it’s vital that holiday let owners are aware of the consequences a fire could have on their holiday home. Above […]
Whilst many holiday cottages across the country are busy with bookings for the peak season, most will also have at some time had to deal with a late cancellation. These are often completely unavoidable. Even if a sizeable deposit has been taken, they can still leave you out of pocket. The other issue is you […]
When it comes to tourism, being green is really beginning to pay; a whopping 58% of English consumers surveyed by VisitEngland indicated they’d want to stay in green accommodation with awards or environmentally friendly practices. So as a holiday homeowner providing green accommodation with solid eco credentials, how do you communicate with this potential marketplace? […]
Investigations into the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower have pointed towards a faulty Hotpoint fridge freezer being the cause. The government said that further tests are being carried out by the manufacturer. However it has already been confirmed that model was not subject to any product recall. Whirlpool, who owns Hotpoint, said: “We offer our […]
When it comes to culture and history there are few places in the world that can compete with England; it’s rich and unique tapestry of tradition attracts millions of visitors from around the world every year. Historic England in partnership with our holiday home insurance underwriter Ecclesiastical Insurance are now asking for your help in […]
In the 2016 Autumn Statement, the Chancellor confirmed an increase of 2.0% in the standard rate of Insurance Premium Tax (IPT). [The tax paid each time an insurance policy is purchased in the UK]. The increase is effective for new policies and renewals due on or after the 1st June 2017. The standard rate of […]