Full-Service holiday let management

Property owners who want a fully managed service, including investors and people who live far from their cottage. Guests pay for the stay, and you keep your commission and service fees.

A higher commission than a booking-only agent, since you also handle changeovers and maintenance. You may add fees for linen, cleaning and welcome packs.

• Managing people and suppliers
• Organising busy changeover days
• Handling guest complaints calmly
• Marketing and pricing properties

• Employer's liability insurance once you take on staff, plus public liability and professional indemnity
• Check how you will hold guest and owner money, and whether you need a client account and protection for deposits
• Check who is responsible for fire, gas and electrical safety checks and keep records
• Check short-let rules, planning and licensing in each area, which differ across the UK nations (Scotland has a licensing scheme)
• Check employment rules if you use cleaners as self-employed contractors rather than staff
• Check consumer law on booking terms, cancellations and refunds
• Check data protection obligations and ICO registration
• Heavy changeover days and seasonal demand can make cash flow uneven

Estimated startup costs are typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on your office or home set-up, staff and systems. Treat it as an estimate and budget for your own plan.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £2,000 to £10,000, depending on the properties you manage and the season. Heavy changeover days and seasonal demand can make cash flow uneven, and the estimate assumes about 30 hours a week or more.

Check employer's liability and other insurance, how you will hold guest and owner money, who handles fire, gas and electrical safety checks, short-let rules and licensing in each area, employment rules for contractors, consumer law and data protection.