Hard times for the holiday let industry in the UK?

[user1477391263]

Seems like the post-COVID recovery, crappy weather, COL and other factors have dampened the situation for people owning holiday lets in places like Cornwall. On the other hand, perhaps (as the article hints towards the end) there will be an increase in long term rental properties coming on to the market.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/apr/07/britains-staycation-boom-may-be-over-as-bookings-dry-up?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_gu&utm_medium&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1712464698

Anecdata from talking to friends tells me that many people are fed up with the rising cost of holiday lets in these places, more and more demands being placed on guest re cleaning etc., and the fact that so many local places like restaurants are understaffed; of course, part of the issue may be that locals have to an extent been priced out of the local housing market, meaning there are fewer people available to clean, mow lawns or wait on tables. It may be a good thing if the local housing market self-corrects in this manner.

Some are flexible if you ring, especially in October if there isn’t anyone staying the following week.

We have asked about this but it puts the price up too much as we were paying a forfeit for booking one week over a two week period.
Fact is Friday to Friday bookings only suit the cottage owners, not family's who are tied to a Saturday to Saturday holiday at half term

That’s annoying. I had the other way I wanted Friday to Friday (Good Friday) and they were sat to sat but they changed it no problem

I don't think they do , but I haven't seen anyone on here suggest they do exist. I wouldn't compare AI to self catering either.

It’s been said a few times you can get a cheaper AI holiday abroad.

One found a cruise that was cheaper than Cornwall, i can certainly believe that.

Oh I didn’t see that did you see where to?

Found it- it was for 3 people

I think the industry has really had a knock. I live on an old farm ( not working anymore but surrounded by sheep fields) I used to rent out a converted farm building but have stopped. Costs have gone up tremendously, bedlinen, power, cleaners, even wood for the fire had doubled. Council checks and licences, advertising. Honestly apart from mortgage ( which covers all the buildings) I’d have to be turning over about £15k a year plus £200 a stay to turn a a £6-7k profit. It’s Not going to happen. I’ve sold the outbuildings so essentially downsized to one building. Tricky if your set up doesn’t allow for that.

We did! For 3 of us on a cruise sharing a room. £1700 for the 3 of us (2 adults, 1 child) for 7 nights to France and Spain.

A family of 6 is going to be more of a struggle for you as you will need numerous different hotel/cabin rooms. We got lucky on a last minute deal for 1 room. It seemed a no brainer to go when it was so much cheaper than a cottage and all food was included, child could go in the kids clubs and make friends and be entertained (we have all cruised lots before) for less than Cornwall.

The new thing with Sykes is 'good housekeeping bonds'. I have just been stung by this. It seems the owners see this as a way of making more money by lodging a spurious complaint or claim and then charging the holiday maker more after they come home.

Apparently leaving a shower dripping caused a flood and water dripping through and marking a ceiling where I just went. Sykes will just support the owners, natch.

I would say, I don't think 10 am checkout is new, or all that unreasonable.

Yes I saw that, what a great deal! Was that in the summer holidays as well?
I’ll always go to Cornwall anyway because I love it but would genuinely like to know where to find these AI holidays for my family, even for just 5 (leaving mum behind!) I got the cheapest one 2022 and we were all in one mezzanine style room with a tiny kitchette (which had a health hazard of a stove where the whole thing heated up not just the hot plates). It was still more that a cottage. I just think am I looking in the wrong place!

You wouldn't think so looking at the prices. We use holiday cottages regularly throughout the year and they've increased significantly since a couple of years ago - you'd think that would be due to high demand?

We’ve always holidayed in cottages in the uk. We’ve got two greyhounds so are usually looking for somewhere with a big garden and space to do a jigsaw, in a location with good walks and views. Cos of the dogs, we always leave the place spotless - as we appreciate being allowed to take them with us.

However, it’s getting more and more difficult to do these holidays without guilt, as you do feel you’re taking a home off the rental market. On our last trip to Anglesey we stayed with Boltholes and Hideaways which I thought would be more responsible than Airbnb, but when we got there we realised every second coastal house seemed to be let by them and I felt really bad. Also, the people in the local shop were quite unfriendly.

A few times we’ve managed to find suitable properties with enclosed gardens that are part of someone’s larger estate, or are an annexe to their quarters, but it’s harder to find.

I stay in hotels weekly for work, and also fly a lot for work, so that’s not a holiday for me. I don’t know what the answer is. We don’t really like lodges or holiday camp type places, we like to be away from other people.

We haven’t found the situation as fraught in rural Scotland (Edinburgh is another matter), but maybe I just haven’t been observant enough.

We've always used holiday cottages and I don't think the check out times have changed - it's always been 10am? Although I think check in was more commonly 3 whereas it's now more often 4pm.

Cleaning has never been a problem - have always washed up, cleaned up any spills and otherwise left it ready for the cleaners to come in.

What we've noticed with this year's booking is a lot of expensive cottages with up-to-the-minute decor advertised with 30-40 photos, often focussing in on small aspects of the decor. But no photos of practical details - how steep are the stairs, is there enough light to read in the living room, is there somewhere to put glasses and book next to the bed? We eventually found a cottage that had been a holiday let for years (judging by the reviews) with tired decor and what looked like somebody's granny's cast off furniture but was £400 a week cheaper AND provided the information we were looking for!

We mostly avoid hotels as the whole having to go to bed at the same time
as child or else sit in the bathroom isn't the holiday experience I want. We also like the flexibility of a cottage with being able to do some meals there to keep costs down but to eat out too.

Oh and whilst looking for this elusive cottage I saved a lot on the likes of Sykes. This is for a school holiday week - most of the ones I saved haven't let yet and I keep receiving discount offers!

Still not cheaper than the one we have booked though.

It was in late August last year.

You will struggle getting cheap deals for 5 in my experience. You would need 2 hotel rooms or cabins at a minimum which is always going to up the prices a lot. We have done 4 in an inside cabin on a cruise which was a tight squeeze! And I don't know any normal cabins that can fit in 5. You can get multi bedroom suites on some cruises but they are £££££ and way over our budget.

I have noticed this year that there are no really cheap cruise deals around during the school holidays currently. We have done 3 or 4 cruises now booking very late, one with 4 days till we left! And that is when we have got the best bargains as they just want to fill the cabins, but you don't get a choice of where you are on the ship. If you wanted to take the risk you could try that, but I am seeing more and more cruises selling out quite early this year as I think more people have cottoned on to it being a cheaper way to travel (which has had the reverse as now it is getting more expensive as they are selling out as everyone is booking!)

I live in a lovely holiday town just over an hour from London on the train we have around 14k of addresses and within these we have 755 short term lets. We accept that we need these to keep our local economy moving, our town market has 1500 people walk through out of season and over 6000 in season. Like every desirable town in the country it’s hard for our children to afford to buy where they grew up but if the air b and b’s were returned to the housing market our economy would fail and as a result our town would be less desirable.

Whilst I don’t doubt that short term rentals have increased house prices the bigger problem is actually people moving from London where they sell a small flat for the price a nice detached here and all the new developments that have no true affordable or social housing with many builds only having 3/5 bedroom houses and at least one estate only having detached houses.

People who don’t have direct benefit from short term lets choose not to see the benefits or often realise what our lovely towns would become without these necessary evils.

i have no dog in the fight I don’t own any short term lets not benefit directy from them.

Ah OK so not really missing a trick then! The older 2 are starting to do their own travel more now so there maybe scope for just taking the little one in future!

I’m in Cornwall. I would happily see a reduction in holiday lets if it meant those flats and houses were available to locals, but I suspect what PPs have said about them becoming second homes instead would probably happen. In that instance I’d prefer holiday lets because at least then there’s a chance of money coming into the local economy over the year.

But having tried to find a long-term rental in Cornwall during the post-covid madness when landlords were going over to AirBnB (I have friends who were evicted for this), city WFH-ers were moving down here in the hundreds and there were 60+ people applying to rent each house, forgive me for not mourning a correction in the market. Places like St Ives and Fowey have become a holiday let ghetto in the town centre with some roads having a cottage company sign by every front door. I find it quite depressing to be honest. The market is saturated.

Don’t get me wrong, I think there is a place for holiday cottages and I use them myself, but it needs regulation.

I am with you and the second homers that come down thinking that we are like Benny in Crossroads

Benny had a birmingham accent!

in all seriousness though, a correction is overdue, and so is regulation

@FlannelandPuce I suspect the Friday-Fridays are because all the cleaners are busy already on Saturdays, hence the cottage owners spreading their arrivals.

The Fridays to Fridays aren't a recent thing - I can remember booking one long before Covid! It did mean using up an extra day's leave though, which was annoying. And now we've got a child it's not compatible with a half term holiday.

Think I've seen Sunday-Sunday ones too. Again presumably to spread the cleaning out. That would work ok although shop opening hours might make buying food on arrival more limited.

I feel like a move back towards hotel tourism (but with family-friendly hotels and suits, and perhaps on-site dog facilities where the pooch can stay at night?) might be welcome; hotel tourists still spend plenty of money in the local economy - in fact, probably more, as the tendency with holiday lets is to just bring down a car-load of food and stuff from your home town, hang around the house much of the day, and spend little, whereas with a hotel room you are out doing stuff much of the day. Hotel tourism is also more compatible with public transport - coaches, shuttle buses from stations - which helps to avoid the other issue of narrow roads being crammed full of tourists’ cars. It would also put more money into the local economy if people arrived by PT with less luggage and then hired things like swimming equipment and outdoor gear and stuff from local outfitters, rather than bringing everything with them.

That said, it’s only fair to point out that in some tourist areas, local nimbies have successfully blocked any attempts to build hotels as well.