Holiday Lettings website - what am I doing wrong?

[manchestermummy]

Looking to book somewhere for summer 2016, UK. I've been told how fantastic the Holiday Lettings website is and have found properties to suit our many requirements. We put in the dates, number of guests etc and got a price on the website. Contacted the owner, and he came back with a price that trebled the price on the website.

Am I missing something here?

Is it a "starting from" price on the web site to get you hooked? Personally I prefer a professional agency - someone around to help you out if something is wrong/does not work and transparent prices!

Errr (I hope I am allowed to post this) we advertise our gite with Holiday Lettings, and I would advise you to google the place you have found and contact the owners directly through their own website or phone them - that way you will avoid paying HL commission and the owner will avoid paying their bit of the commission too. It's win/win (you could even ask if they would consider a little price reduction as you're saving them money too) You can't just contact them directly through the HL site, as they monitor all messages to make sure people don't do exactly what I've described above. You're welcome

Just to add, I think the guest (you) pays around 10% extra commission on top of the advertised price & owners around 5% on each booking.

No, via an agency you pass on all the costs to the tennant. I pay the agency, but recoup the fees in the weekly charge and mine are 20%. Everyone does this!!! Even people on Holiday Lettings. It depends what you get for the money. I don't like the hassle of taking bookings direct because I want someone around to sort out any problems, if there are any. The Agency, in my case, does this. Apart from advertising and taking bookings, it makes keys available from their office, provides linen, information packs and cleans weekly too. They have someone available for the holiday makers. Money well spent I think. It wont be a win/win if you get a water leak or lose the keys!

Sorry, I was referring specifically to Holiday Lettings who charge a percentage to the client and a percentage to the tenant. The exact amount differs as to when you started advertising with them and what "package" you have as an owner/advertiser. I don't know about agencies at all as I have never used one. The OP seemed to be shocked at the mark-up & I (maybe wrongly) assumed she wanted to keep costs down which is what I was trying to help her with by explaining the HL pricing structure.

No that's useful, thanks! Even taking into account what you've said the jump in price was massive. And on top a £100 damage deposit. I'm not talking about a couple of hundred, I'm talking nearly a grand.

There is £1000 difference between my winter rate and my high summer rate. That's why I think you were quoted the low season rate. Where are you hoping to stay? Are there not ordinary holiday letting a companies where the charges are transparent? People can easily do more than £100 worth of damage - sadly! Owners usually just have to suck it up! There are usually lots of small things that go missing or get broken that are never charged for, eg glasses, cutlery, picnic sets, a table cloth, books. Hope you find somewhere lovely.

Just want to agree with JenPetronus' comments about Holidaylettings. We advertise our villa with Holidaylettings, HomeAway and Owners Direct, but because of Holidaylettings' commission the guest will pay quite a bit more booking though that site. Whereas with Owners Direct and HomeAway there is usually no commission, so the guest pays less. I agree that everyone should google their favourite villa and you may well find that if you enquire through the villa owner's own website or Owners Direct (for example) you will be quoted a lower price!