Non-smoking holiday home rental

Holidaying families, groups of friends and couples, plus visitors for events or work stays.

A nightly rate with a cleaning fee, often with higher prices in peak seasons and school holidays. Minimum-night rules can help fill bookings.

• Organising bookings and turnovers
• Guest service and problem solving
• Budgeting for furnishing and upkeep

• Some areas limit or require registration for short-term rental, so check with your council and state
• Standard landlord insurance may not cover holiday stays, so check for short-stay cover and public liability
• Strata by-laws or lease terms may ban holiday letting
• Quiet periods and cleaning costs, so plan for empty weeks
• GST and income tax obligations, so check with an accountant or the ATO

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on how much furnishing and equipment the property needs and its size. Costs vary with what is already in place and the standard you want to offer.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on location, season and how often it is booked. Plan for quiet periods and cleaning costs, as revenue is not the same as profit.

Check whether your council and state limit or require registration for short-term rental, and whether strata by-laws or lease terms ban holiday letting. Also check you have short-stay insurance cover and public liability, and your GST and income tax obligations.