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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The holiday cottage industry brings with it a unique set of circumstances; as providers of specialist insurance for holiday letting owners such as yourself, we understand how to make sure you have the cover that you need, when you need it. We also appreciate the value that other specialists can add to your holiday cottage […]
There has been much conjecture over the potential impact of Brexit on the UK tourism sector since the EU referendum. One thing is for certain, all of the statistics now being released on last year’s visitor numbers are incredibly encouraging. Recent reports have largely focussed on the perceived renaissance in domestic travel and the ‘staycation’. […]
Whether your family friendly holiday letting property will be welcoming babies, toddlers, or older children this year, one thing every family will appreciate is the cottage owner that goes that extra mile to make their stay a home away from home. Achieving this in reality will be a process of finding a balance between fun and […]
Social 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 […]
2017 has been named the Year of Literary Heroes by VisitEngland and VisitBritain as part of a new tourism campaign. It celebrates the works, and lives, of England’s best loved authors, attracting tourist attention along the way. A plethora of literary anniversaries are coming up, and the Visit team will be hosting plenty of activities […]
It may be the Year of the Rooster in China, but in Wales it’s the Year of Legends! Visit Wales has launched a new campaign for the year, which celebrates the past, present, and future of Wales. Embracing history and heritage, whilst promoting local tourism, the £5million campaign is aiming to make a real splash. […]
From gas boilers to ground source heat pumps, there are an array of options for heating your holiday home. Some will have turned to renewable energy to supplement or replace more traditional heating fuels. Meanwhile many rural holiday homeowners still rely on heating oil to keep their cottage warm. There are benefits of having a […]
It’s the time of year when many holiday cottage owners will have used, or be using professional tradespeople to undertake repairs and improvements on their properties ready for a great Easter and summer season. If you fall into this category we wanted to make sure that you’re aware of a rise in ‘property maintenance payment […]
With spring and summer ahead, it will be natural for holiday cottage guests to start spending more time outside. For many families, having the space and facilities for kids to play during their stay is important. For this reason installing outdoor play equipment, if you haven’t already got it, could be a great idea. If […]
It’s the small touches that make a big difference when it comes to high quality accommodation. Guests notice the small touches; the fresh flowers, the neatly made bed, the detailed welcome pack. These things show that you care, and they will make your accommodation stand out to visitors. VisitEngland has a highly informative guide that […]
England’s Seafood Coast Initiative launched to make South Devon the heart of seafood If we said “seafood”, where would you think of? A new initiative (England’s Seafood Coast) has been launched by Mitch Tonks, Visit Devon, and the Torbay Culture Board. It aims to position ‘Torbay’ and ‘South Devon’ at the heart of Britain’s seafood culture. […]
Business 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 […]
There are some items in modern life we just couldn’t do without, whether in the home or whilst on holiday; kettles, coffee machines, toasters, microwaves, TV’s, Hi-Fi’s and mobile devices. These all play a central part of our days, as they will be for those visiting your holiday home. What they all have in common […]
Accidents happen, and whilst health and safety measures will reduce potential risks there may still be a time when a guest is injured at your holiday home. Our holiday home insurance policy comes with public liability as standard, but there are some steps you’ll need to carry out should an accident occur. Make sure communication […]
We’ve all seen them in everyday life; ‘Park here at your own risk’, ‘Playing in this area is at your own risk’. Disclaimer notices have become an increasingly common sight for most of us. Therefore it may surprise you to find that they don’t absolve the owner from blame should something go wrong. This is […]
Holiday home facilities – 6 steps to improve guest safety whilst reducing holiday homeowner liability risks When adding additional facilites to your holiday home consideration should be given to guest safety and holiday homeowner liability risks. Tourism is an increasingly competitive marketplace; what makes someone choose your holiday home over the property down the road? […]
These essential holiday home winter maintenance tips should help you survive the low season claim free. This time of year is an interesting one for many holiday homeowners; whilst there’s been a trend towards an increase in bookings during the first few months of each year, for many this will still be the lowest period […]
As far as stats go 2015 was a great year for UK tourism as a whole. Many accommodation providers across the UK seeing increases in bookings and stays. The good news is that as 2016 came to a close it’s looking like it has lived up to the hype of the previous year with stats […]
Preventing damage from water leaks Each year, water leaks produce enough water to fill almost 4,000 Olympic sized swimming pools, and create millions of pounds of damage. As the weather gets colder, holiday homes are often left empty for longer periods during this time of year, hence the risk of water leaks is only increased. […]
The main letting season has come to an end and despite strong shoulder month bookings, you might just have a little more time on your hands than you had from May through to October. Once you’ve had a chance to relax, reflect and refresh, now could be a great time to make sure your holiday cottage […]
Take a look around your home; what is it that makes it unique and yours, rather than just any old property? Whilst some will say memories, many will say the stamp they’ve put on the place; the extra touches they’ve made, or the changes they’ve crafted. We all decorate our own homes to our own […]