Finding someone trustworthy and reliable to look after a holiday home is probably the biggest challenge for owners. Whether the requirements are simply to hold a key in case of emergencies or to provide full guest support and maintenance, finding the right person who will provide an ongoing, reliable service is not east. Or it’s not cheap.

The problem is especially true in holiday home hotspots like South West England, Norfolk, the Lake District and pockets of South Wales. So what are the options? And which is best for you?

Do it Yourself

Pros

• The cheapest way to run a holiday home.
• Peace of mind – regular access to ensure paying guests leave the property in good condition.
• Awareness – a better understanding of wear and tear and guest usage.
• Quality control - nobody will clean and check the inventory as well as the owner!

Cons

• A big commitment to clean a property, typically every Saturday through the summer.
• Requires the owner to live close to the property to be cost-effective.
• Need to be on call during weekends and evenings to deal with issues, such as guests accidentally locking themselves out of the property.

A Local Caretaker

Pros

• Typically cheaper than employing an agency.
• Possible to build up a good working relationship and knowledge of the property.
• Can be on hand to meet and greet guests and let tradesmen into the property.
• Good local knowledge.

Cons

• Reliability can be a problem in the event the caretaker is temporarily not available due to illness or holiday.
• Can be hard to find in holiday home hotspots.

A Specialist Agency

Pros

• Can provide a complete no hassle solution for owners.
• May offer a wider range of services such as maintenance, improvement works and repairs.
• Will have a network of tradesmen contacts to use if required.

Cons

• Expensive.
• May not offer the same level of property knowledge, where different cleaners are used for changeovers.