Rent own home as a holiday home for a week-WWYD?

[Devonsent19]

We are going away on holiday next week. My best friend’s family (who I’ve never met) were coming to the area for a week’s holiday (2 adults a 3yr old & a baby) but they’ve been let down with their (free) accommodation. My friend has asked if they could stay at my house while we’re away and said they have offered to pay. I don’t know what to charge. Our house is a modern 3 bedroom right on the beach with spectacular sea views in a family resort in Devon. I lost a lot of money this year due to lockdown and, as my friend says, I could make a bit of money while helping her family out. I’ve been on Airbnb and houses like mine rent for £300-£500 a night! What would be a fair price to charge?

Are you actually okay with people you've never met staying? Appreciate they are vouched for by their relative, your best friend.

To keep things fair and friendly with your friend, if you do decide to do it, charge what would have been the going rate before Covid. Beach front with parking, maybe £1500-2000 for the week?

If you want to charge commercial rates, then you need to fulfil your obligations as a landlord. Gas safety certificate, PAT testing, insurance for a start.

If you want to help out a friend of a friend on a non commercial basis, I'd ask for £500 at most.

If their accommodation was free and has fallen through, how much will they be able to pay last minute anyway? I doubt they’ll want to pay £300-500 a night when they were looking at free to begin with; if it’s something you want to do for a bit of extra cash, I’d go lower and get something over the risk of them just saying no. But as PP has mentioned, there are other obligations if you’re charging full rates.

I'd ask £500 for the week. And lock away anything valuable or breakable.

and said they have offered to pay

I’d ask how much they were thinking?

How much is the nearest Premier Inn/Travel lodge for the week?

£100 a night would seem like a happy medium. Still a bargain for them.

I wonder if they will get back to you suggesting £100 for the week!

Will allowing them to stay and accepting a payment void your house and contents insurance?

Does your house insurance allow you to rent your house out? I think you’re in a legal quagmire if anything happens to them or to your house and you’ve rented it to them without proper insurances / checks in place. I would say a polite, but definite, no…

Given that you won't be clearing your house of clothes and personal stuff then £100 per night seems very fair. Let them use small things like tea towels and toilet paper. You could book a cleaner for when they have gone.

I’d do £100 a night as a test run

100 quid a night

I'd let them stay for free but ask them to pay for a cleaner before and after they come. Maybe also £100 for utilities bills - although I'll be they'll be out of the house most of the time and only use it for sleeping.
You could ask them to bring their own bedding and towels so you don't have excess laundry etc.
But, God forbid, should they be a fire or flood or something, you don't be insured if they are paying you.

@MrsFin

I'd let them stay for free but ask them to pay for a cleaner before and after they come. Maybe also £100 for utilities bills - although I'll be they'll be out of the house most of the time and only use it for sleeping. You could ask them to bring their own bedding and towels so you don't have excess laundry etc. But, God forbid, should they be a fire or flood or something, you don't be insured if they are paying you.

The OP is asking for advice on a fair charge, not charity.

£100 a night is still a bargain and makes it worth your while.

Thanks for your comments. I have up to date gas/electricity safety certs & insurance as I was due to rent my house out on a 6 month AST. Then my house purchase fell through last month (a whole other story!) So the house has been painted, decluttered, there’s space in cupboards and wardrobes and it is in a rentable condition. I have looked at other accommodation in the area and there is absolutely nothing as everyone is coming here on a staycation. I have plenty of bedding & towels, they’d just have to make up their own beds.I’m happy for them to use tea/coffee/toilet rolls/washing powder but I think they’ll bring their own or replace what they use. That’s what I always do. I thought about £100 a night too so, as that’s what many of you suggested, I think I’ll go with that. I trust my friend and I know if anything was damaged, they’d put it right. She’s also offered to help me clean and get the place ready for them and I’m sure they leave it tidy. I’ve got a child too so it’s not a show home!

If they start haggling I'd just say no.

You couldn't rent a caravan for less.

ATM in this area you literally can’t rent any accommodation at all! I’m doing my friend a favour and she suggested it so I think, as all you wonderful mumsnetters have suggested, £100p/n is fair to both parties.

If they don't want to pay that OP, I'll have it for £100 per night!
2 old codgers, no kids, we'll bring our own bedding and towels and leave your place immaculate.

They rent, you let.

I think £100 per night is reasonable.

I hope it all works out.

thanks Winged! 😉

Thanks Maggies 🙏

@christyt114

I'd ask £500 for the week. And lock away anything valuable or breakable.

Be warned, renting it out probably invalidates your domestic insurance policy.

So if the visitors flood/burn it the insurers won't pay out.

Update: My friend suggested £500. I said I’d think about it, then she texted to say they’ve got the offer of their brother’s house at the end of August foc. I must confess I’m a bit relieved, as the thought of getting my house immaculate when leaving for the airport at 3am, plus the possible insurance faffs, didn’t appeal! Thanks for all your comments 😊

Best outcome OP. The faff isn't worth it if they're not prepared to play fair.

I thought £100/week was a win win, and I wouldn't be impressed about haggling over £200 for the huge inconvenience and pain in the arse, when they were getting a bargain holiday for a family of 4.

Thanks AhNow. I appreciate your support. I feel the same-I thought it was a fair price. I didn’t suggest it, they approached me, then while I was considering their offer, they went elsewhere. It would’ve been an enormous amount of extra work on my part but I think they were just after a cheap/free holiday 🙄