A successful holiday let implies lots of visitors staying in and using the property. And for some unknown reason, wear and tear always seems to be much higher than in your own home. Furniture starts to look tired, the can opener seems to be harder to use and the buttons on the TV remote control look worn. But why is this? Do guests open more cans of beans or change channels more frequently when on holiday?
There is the concern that guests on holiday may not respect and treat the facilities inside as well as they would their own (or maybe they are more careful?). A better rule of thumb, which also applies to cleaning a holiday let in-between stays, is that a well-maintained property will demand more respect from incoming tenants and they will treat the property with more care.
What’s affected
Furnishings such as sofas and armchairs – leather sofas will prove more durable, though can be susceptible to scuffs and marks. Choosing a dark colour, such as chocolate brown, will make any marks less visible too.
Flooring - again choosing hard wearing carpets, a quality laminate or real wood floor will prolong the life of it. Hallways can be especially affected where guests enter the property and leave shoes.
In the kitchen wear and tear is more likely to be chipped and missing, such as crockery may need replacing as cups and plates which have been cracked and chipped through usage. Another issue in the kitchen is missing items such as cutlery or glassware which may have been broken accidentally by the guest and disposed of. Missing items can be picked up in the inventory check between guest stays, though chasing a guest for the cost of replacing small items, such as a plate or cup should be considered carefully. It may seem petty to do so for small amounts and deter repeat bookings, so owners need to weigh up the money saved versus the time and time and possible bad feeling chasing a guest for a small amount of compensation.
If you are in a position of furnishing a holiday let, buy more cutlery, crockery and glassware than is normally required, and keep some locked away to replace items as they go missing.
In the bedroom, mattresses, pillows and bedding will need replacing over a period of time, depending on their quality and usage.
Electrical items, such as larger kitchen appliances, entertainment in the living room such as TV’s DVD players and Mp3 docks should have longer lifespans but buying quality brands is recommended to avoid false economies.
Replacing items and budgeting
In the planning stage it is worth putting aside an annual budget, taken from the income, to cover the cost of replacing and repairing items. This need not be a large amount; 5-10% of the income should suffice, but preparation and anticipation of these costs, which may also include re-decoration, will help cashflow.
The cost of ongoing maintenance can be offset against personal tax allowances, though at the time of writing (March 2011), Furnished Holiday Lettings tax relief is under review with changes imminent. It is advisable to consult a tax specialist on how best to proceed depending on a personal circumstances.
