The Benefits for a Short Let

  • You can achieve slightly more income than the longer let.
  • The price usually includes the bills so there is no need to change providers. Some clients include majority of the costs, but some prefer for the energy bills to be paid on top.
  • Property owners have more flexibility with their property being a short let as they can choose when they need the property to be available.
  • This can work well if people are selling a property. While it is empty you can have an income to help pay any mortgage there may be on the property.
  • There is less wear and tear on short term lets. We take a professional deep clean charge from the guests before they move in and arrange for this to be done when they leave.
  • Holiday Let owners that choose to use the Short Lets in the winter months find it can help to fill any void gaps.
  • Majority of the short-let properties are Fully Furnished. We have also found clients that will take unfurnished properties too. These properties are usually empty and are to be sold.

Marketing Your Short-Let Property

  • We list your property through our website, Portals such as Airbnb, OnTheMarket and Rightmove, our window display and a client base of returning customers. We also deal with corporate clients and TV production companies.
  • For all our properties we use a professional photographer.

Communication

  • People can book direct on our website through our Booster software and through the portals we use. Bookings also come from word of mouth, local foot traffic and returning clients.
  • We contact all our enquiries and speak to them directly, so we have as much information from them and a better picture for what they are looking for. We will then discuss these potential clients with you.
  • All payments are taken in advance (and in some circumstances some clients ask to pay monthly).
  • Once this is all agreed by both parties, we get all our customers to sign a Booking Form and our Terms of Conditions in readiness.
  • Depending on timings we ask for a 25% non-refundable deposit (except returned for exceptional circumstances). The balance is due 28 days before they arrive.
  • A damage deposit is taken at the start which can vary in the size of the property (for example £150 to £1500. This is for when the guests leave subject to any damage, further cleaning required, or any over usage of energy, in case the bills at the end were a lot more than the norm.

How it Works

  • For the Short Let stays we charge owners 10% (no vat) on the rental and £100 one off set fee. for this service.
  • We make sure that all the necessary certificates such as Gas Safety, Electrical Condition reports are all in place before guests arrive.
  • Before the start of your short let we recommend that a deep clean is done prior to a guest arriving. We can give you a quote for this beforehand and then we arrange for a professional clean when the guests have left.
  • Check in day from 3 pm and checkout day is usually at 11 am.
  • We either meet guests at the property with the keys, or they come to our office. Some places provide key safe boxes.
  • We advise that an inventory is done beforehand like our long term lets and we use a professional inventory company (charged separately), with this document we prepare a guest folder the same as Holiday Lets which contains useful documents on how things work and any manuals on how certain appliances work etc. Included is usually any fire and safety regulations, risk assessment, gas safety and electrical certificates when having guests stay.
  • Each month we will send over a statement for example will show any expenditures (if required), our commission and what is paid to you.
  • We have several contractors we work with such as, plumbers, electricians, and handymen. We will be the guests point of contact during their stay and any issues that may arise we will get quotes and let you know in advance. Some owners have their own contractors.
  • It is highly advisable to also have the Holiday Let Insurance in place for short term guests. You can speak to your existing Insurance provider first as they might include or can add this onto your policy. If not, we can recommend a few companies that can give you a quote as this is important to have in place especially ‘Public Liability’ to make sure you are covered when guests are staying in your property.

Quality Professional Cleaners

  • We work with several cleaning companies in Brighton, Hove, Worthing, and surrounding areas.
  • Quotes are given to you for a deep clean to be done prior to guests arriving.
  • Cleaners can provide all bedding and towels, so you don’t need to use your own. If you want to use your own bedding, we do recommend two sets of everything. Some clients might want to use their own bedding as they are staying longer than just a few nightly stays.
  • We organise a professional clean (charge taken from the client at the beginning) to be done when the guests have left.
  • Some owners include a 2 weekly clean in the price so that guests can have the bedding changed over. This always helps if it is difficult to get bedding dry.
  • We can offer out short let clients a weekly or every two week cleans which includes a bedding change, general cleaning to include bathrooms and kitchen.

If this is a service you are looking for, please get in touch on 01273 911213 or email us on info@westbeachproperties.com