Considering a particular property, a holiday letting agent should be able to provide the following services.

A rental estimate

A meeting with the agencies representative at the property will allow them to conduct an assessment of rental value and propose a price band for the property and subsequently a projection of how much rental income is achievable.

The photography and written description

These are key for the successful letting of a property. It is important to find out who does the photography of the property; is it the company representative or a professional photographer or the owner? Is there a charge associated with this?

The written description is important also, as it conveys key information which will help to convert lookers into bookers. Potential guests are looking for factual information such as kitchen facilities, access, and the distance to local amenities, as well as inspiration that the property will provide a great holiday base for them.

Having the right marketing material can also be supplemented by a property familiarity visit by members of the bookings team. This can help sell the property over the phone where the sales team can highlight the property’s best features.

New property promotions

As a new property in an agency’s portfolio, there any actions which they can take to promote the property. This may include:

• A feature position on the company’s website.
• A mention in previous guest emails and direct mail.
• A press release.

The timeline

From the point of signing the contract with the selected letting agent, it is important to understand the process of what happens next. This includes scheduling the creation of the webpage, photography and written description and inclusion in the brochure or other print material.

The agency should be able to provide a timetable of how long it takes to have the property live on the website and ready to take bookings. This can be especially important if key holiday periods are approaching soon, with the potential to achieve last-minute bookings.

Other articles in this series:

How to choose a Holiday Lettings Agent – Finding and Researching an Agent.

How to choose a Holiday Lettings Agent – Key Questions to Ask.