The Ups and Downs of owning a Furnished Holiday Let

[endure]

Bump.

We reopened our cafe and gardens on Saturday, doing takeaways only, in line with social distancing and covid guidelines.

Sold 120 pizzas in the first two hours.

Mate of mine's got two restaurants in Nottingham. He used the government grant to pay his overdue tax bill and he's been making as much money doing collections and deliveries as he was when the place was open.

 

[sirbhp]

I have been for two job interviews in the past by chancers of a managers who wanted to pick mine ( and others) brains about a sticky problem for free, then tell their bosses how clever they were .

Interview in the staff canteen should have given it away . There were no jobs going as I investigated both firms later by a quick call to HR asking them to confirm was it two or three referees they needed. Once of these companies was Mercury mobile phones back in the day .

 

[endure]

I have been for two job interviews in the past by chancers of a managers who wanted to pick mine ( and others) brains about a sticky problem for free, then tell their bosses how clever they were .

Interview in the staff canteen should have given it away . There were no jobs going as I investigated both firms later by a quick call to HR asking them to confirm was it two or three referees they needed. Once of these companies was Mercury mobile phones back in the day .

I went for a job interview where the boss got me to go on a Saturday morning and fix some PCs for free. He then offered me the job with an Astra van instead of the Audi 80 I was currently driving and a £6k pay cut...

 

[Filthy_contract]

We decided to use my gratuity and buy a cottage on the N Yorks Moors (we now live in the Lake District) and turn it into a furnished holiday let, on the basis that it would pay for itself. It sleeps 4 and with a rollaway for a fifth guest. I read this thread and spoke to a number of people who had gone down this route (including my mate Crash who used to post on here and lived nearby). We bought it late last year and I spent all my spare time updating it and preparing it for let....from March. My partner enjoyed doing the furnishings and outfitting, mindful of what people had said.

Here we are at the end of June and still no income and a mortgage to sustain. Hopefully our first booking will be from 4 July, but we are questioning the viability of it. Since we got a cleaner sorted out, the 'Government guidelines' have become very onerous and our letting agency insists that we confirm we will adhere to them. The cleaning cost and time has doubled.

The sorts of things that will now have to be done because of CV-19:

• No cushions, no books, no ornaments, no games etc, to reduce the risk of transmission and to ease cleaning.
• Mattress and pillow protectors to be changed each week and commercially laundered.
• Bedding to be stripped by the guests and placed in sealed bin liners (to reduce risk to cleaners).
• Cleaners to be in full PPE including booties and to change gloves between each room.
• All common areas to be wiped down with either bleach or alcohol wipes (door handles, switches, bannisters etc). Remote controls to be wrapped in cling film.
• All crockery and cutlery to be machine washed between changes.
• 'Approved' handwash and paper towels in all bathrooms. (1 ensuite and one family bathroom).
• Sanitiser by all entry doors.
• Signed statements from guests that they have no CV19 symptoms on arrival or departure.
• No visitors allowed in the property.
• ....etc.

Added to that it seems the pub in the nearby village may never reopen.

Bugger.

Our first guests were due to arrive on 4th July...except I've just been told by the letting firm that they are from three households so therefore break Government Regulations (or are they guidelines?). Now trying to re-let it for that week.

B&gger!

 

[Ravers]

Things are starting to move again for us.

We opened the cafe last weekend and that’s been steady away. Pizzas flying out the door at a steady rate.

One of our pubs is too small to safely open and maintain social distancing so we’re just gonna take the hit on that for now.

Bigger pub opening on Saturday, lots of preparation gone into that this week.

We’ve also converted the wedding barn into a socially distanced “beer hall”.

Basically just a big barn, with a fully stocked bar, where people can get pissed. We’ll do hog roasts, wood fired pizzas etc.

All pretty positive.

 

[single malt]

Our site opens tomorrow so we will be away up to our van asap. What a relief to be able to go more than 5 miles from our home

 

[Wightsparker]

Things are starting to move again for us.

We opened the cafe last weekend and that’s been steady away. Pizzas flying out the door at a steady rate.

One of our pubs is too small to safely open and maintain social distancing so we’re just gonna take the hit on that for now.

Bigger pub opening on Saturday, lots of preparation gone into that this week.

We’ve also converted the wedding barn into a socially distanced “beer hall”.

Basically just a big barn, with a fully stocked bar, where people can get pissed. We’ll do hog roasts, wood fired pizzas etc.

All pretty positive.

Vegan hog roasts?

 

[DaveDaffe]

Our site opens tomorrow so we will be away up to our van asap. What a relief to be able to go more than 5 miles from our home

Your site may be open tomorrow but the 5 mile rule is still in place at the moment..

Sent from my SM-T515 using Tapatalk

 

[single malt]

Your site may be open tomorrow but the 5 mile rule is still in place at the moment..

Sent from my SM-T515 using Tapatalk

That rule finishes the morn as well

 

[flynavy]

Vegan hog roasts?

Roasted straw bales, with a green grass jus.

 

[br9mp812]

Any industry idea of what BBtB is going to hit us (punters) and owners with Monday, am i alone in struggling to undefstand that i can drive across a county to work a shift cheek by jowl with 8 others from different homes but cannot take family ro a remote cottage where the only local i see will drive the tesco delivery van

 

[Filthy_contract]

Any industry idea of what BBtB is going to hit us (punters) and owners with Monday, am i alone in struggling to undefstand that i can drive across a county to work a shift cheek by jowl with 8 others from different homes but cannot take family ro a remote cottage where the only local i see will drive the tesco delivery van

Nope. I am up in our cottage this week as we had a cancellation of two couples coming form Scotland. And that is NOT ALLOWED. Thanks God I managed to get broadband installed. Our letting agent promises to tell me more after the Boris display of Churchillian Bluster. I'm already getting 'You're not from round 'ere' looks from the in-bred locals.

 

[br9mp812]

Anyone that will admitt to having a let in Wales, or even just living in Wales that has a clue WTAF is going on tourist industry wise for half term please do tell, it just seems to be an anti English rant coming from the WA at the moment, hate to say this but a lot of people afr saying if they get ~~~~ed around thier money will go elsewhere in better times.