Just starting out? Bloom Stays can help.
Thinking about turning your property into a holiday let? Whether you’re moving abroad, have inherited a second home, or considering holiday letting as an alternative to long letting a property, the Bloom Stays team will help you from the start.
A quick summary on holiday letting in Kent & Sussex
Holiday letting is a vibrant sector in the UK, and essential to the success of our towns, cities, and coastal and rural economies. In Kent alone, it’s estimated there are over 10,000 holiday homes for rent, each eager to secure their share of the region’s 3.3 million annual domestic tourists, who together bring more than £540 million to the region (and Sussex is even more popular).
It’s not for the faint-hearted, and requires plenty of time (and some budget) to get right. However, the rewards can be great too. Beautiful, well-equipped houses that are a joy to stay in are much in demand by our guests and, for our owners, give a regular income.
Whatever your circumstances, stepping into holiday letting needs a steady, experienced hand to guide you. At Bloom Stays, this is where we can help.
FAQs on holiday letting for first-timers
Below, we’ve compiled the questions we’re most frequently asked by new owners who are exploring the holiday letting market for the first time.
Hopefully they’ll help you too.
We look for homes that are full of character and spirit, but equally are practical, easy to use as holiday homes and – of course – that meet all the safety standards required.
Some owners come to us with houses that require some renovation or refurbishment work before they can think about letting it; we’re more than happy to advise on any improvements to increase your property’s return on investment. We also have a team of investment and renovation specialists we recommend to help with any additional advice.
Our data shows the most ‘searched-for’ features by our customers are hot tubs, swimming pools, and log burners for the winter months. Being ‘pet friendly’ is also something that attracts holidaymakers, who tend to want to dodge any additional kennel fees. That said, it’s not necessary to have all of those to make a successful holiday let, and our team is skilled in targeting the right customers for each property.
In accordance with regulations, your property must be available for let for at least 210 days of the year. Outside that time, you are free to use the house as you please.
At Bloom Stays, our house bookings consistently outperform the local market and, as a result, our annual revenues are on average considerably higher.
Perhaps predictably, the summer months are always popular, but recent years have proven that there’s a year-round market for holiday letting in South East England.
Local attractions are open year-round, and the appetite for health and wellbeing activities, including cycling, walking, wild water swimming and others, has encouraged a new enthusiasm for getting away from the daily grind.
As soon as you’re ready. We offer a ‘floor up’ service to new owners, or to owners literally starting from the floor up after a house renovation.
Our years of experience in holiday letting mean that we can spot the improvements that need to be made, whether that’s a new paint refresh, advice on interiors, or sprucing up your gardens and grounds. We have the expertise to ensure your guests open the door to a house perfectly appointed for holiday letting.
Smoke alarms, modern fire alarm systems, security upgrades and remote monitoring of energy systems are all essential in the smooth running of a holiday home – especially when owners live away.
The costs for meeting the national legal requirements for holiday letting need to be factored into the overall budget for a renovation or refurbishment of a holiday home, and we’re happy to advise on this at any time.
We can point you in the right direction of our team of trusted professionals in every area to ensure you fit the right product for your home.
We have a fully-integrated digital marketing plan for Bloom Stays houses that is always on. Properties are marketed primarily via our own website, and we are proud to say that our direct bookings via the website are consistently over a 60% share of our total bookings.
We also market and manage our houses across other market-leading channels, including AirBnB, Vrbo, Plum Guide, and others. We have a smart, sophisticated customer base that comes to know our brand via social media marketing and outreach through both local and national press.
As soon as you need it to. We’ll work with you to make sure as much as possible is ready before you have to leave, drawing up a plan that works for you and your family in advance of your departure.
We have teams of trusted tradesmen, decorators, plumbers, and others on hand to help out at all times. And if you aren’t around to let them in, leave the keys with us – we can manage it all for you.
Why choose Bloom Stays?
We’ll attract the right attention to your holiday let
We offer full-service support for our holiday lets, from PR and marketing to local expertise and property management. Our properties are featured in top digital and print publications, including The Times, The Telegraph, and Hello! magazine; we know how to highlight unique details to get your property noticed.
With listings on major platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and CoolStays, as well as our own social media platforms (including Instagram and Facebook) and email campaigns, your property will have plenty of opportunity to reach the right audience. What’s more, our hands-on approach ensures your holiday let gets the attention it deserves.
We’ve thought of everything – so you don’t have to
- We make sure every aspect of your property is ‘just right’, from layout and interior design to those all-important finishing touches – we work with you to add practical features that enhance your guests’ experiences.
- Our photography is frequently praised in the industry, capturing your home’s best angles with stunning images, accompanied by thoughtfully crafted copy.
What you’ll receive from us
- A full online booking system, complete with centralised calendars, owner dashboards, and 24-hour live booking notifications, means you’ll run a smooth operation with Bloom Stays.
- A point of contact, for all your support queries, not a call centre. We’re a friendly team that’s here for you as and when you need us. Everyone who works for us gets out to know the houses so we can pass that knowledge on to our guests.
- Access to our connections – from handymen and cleaning companies, to caterers and cake makers, we’ve worked hard to build great relationships with trusted and reliable local independent businesses.
- An honest, realistic valuation on your property, based on the market as it is today, so you know where you stand from the beginning.
Like the sound of us? Why not give us a call, one of the team will be on the end of the phone to chat with you.
Get in touch with us via email, on [email protected], phone, on 01227 903404, or WhatsApp, 07361 584861.
