Article Written by HomeAway.co.uk

With a growing number of holidaymakers choosing to take self-caterings breaks, the holiday letting sector is a rapidly expanding business area.
The experts at HomeAway.co.uk have the following tips and tricks for owners looking to rent out their holiday home.

1. Don’t price yourself out of the market
Make sure you research the rental price of comparable properties and alternative accommodation in the area

2. Don’t Furnish for You
This is a business so keep furnishings simple, avoid clutter and remove personal items. Ensure the property meets health and safety requirements, and consider what practical items guests can expect.

3. Don’t Leave Bookings to Chance
Having your own website is great, but the competition is tough so use a reputable holiday rental website, like HomeAway.co.uk, for a cost-effective way to get exposure to millions of travellers and manage booking enquiries. In addition, great photos and truthful descriptions are vital as is correct spelling, grammar and punctuation – selling the dream is important and photos are a great away of doing this.

4. Don’t Scrimp – Have a Local Representative
If you don’t live nearby, invest in having someone on hand locally who can ‘meet and greet’ your guests and deal with problems immediately as well as a cleaner and handyman. Property Managers can help with this, and there is a wealth of information online to help you make the right choice.

5. Don’t forget to Cover Yourself
Firstly ensure you are allowed to let your property on a short-term basis and that you understand applicable taxation laws, as you must declare income earned from holiday lets. You also need holiday rental liability insurance and ideally a booking contract to confirm details of the reservation, deposit/refund/cancellation policies and terms and conditions of tenancy.