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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]