Owners Information Pack

At Blueriver, we know how lucky we are to live in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and with 20 years experience of South Devon, and the holiday let market – we also know how to help you get the most from your property, ensuring that your guests not only enjoy their stay at your home but return time and time again, so that you maximize your return on your investment without any of the stress that holiday letting can bring.

Our marketing skills and management of holiday properties are second to none and our commission rates are and will always remain unbeatable! We pride ourselves on not placing unreasonable restrictions on your own use of your property, and our efficiency, knowledge and support means you can always trust us to deliver outstanding results for you.

Through our range of bespoke property management services, we’ll take away all of the hassle of letting out your holiday home and help you achieve maximum bookings all year round. There’s not much we don’t know about the holiday letting business and we’ll always be on hand to help with advice on every aspect of holiday lettings from your helping fulfil your statutory duties to even helping with the décor and inventory.

Blueriver Cottages have been our holiday letting agents for over a year now

and we have nothing but praise for Phil and his team and the high level of service and value for money that they provide to

us and our guests.

We let - you relax

www.bluerivercottages.co.uk

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Taking the hassle out of holiday lets

Marketing: Our Promotion = Your Success Online: Our high profile online marketing programme means that your home will feature on our website, on the world’s largest property group portal, Trip Advisor; the UK’s biggest self catering holiday property portal, Holiday Lettings and the innovative holiday home portal, Love to Escape, so your property will reach always reach a global audience.

Press: Regularly featuring in relevant national and regional publications such as tourist board guides, Devon Life and Coast also means we create a wider appeal for our properties. And we always ensure that our ads stand out from the rest by using creative and eye catching designs that showcase Blueriver properties as some of the best in South Devon.

Brochure: Our research shows that holiday makers enjoy a good quality brochure to flick through when choosing their holiday and so your property will also feature in our new brochure which showcases the finest selection of handpicked properties within the stunning South Hams.

Email: Our customers are very loyal and we keep them up to date with our latest properties and special offers via our targeted newsletters. We know how important it is to keep our customers satisfied and therefore, we do not bombard them with emails, but send personalized, informative and relevant information at key points throughout the year - and your holiday home could be just what they are looking for!

Search Engine Optimisation and Google Ads remains one of our top investments and ensures that our Google rankings are always in the top two or three for Dartmouth searches and by exploring new methods of marketing, such as using Facebook and Twitter to put your property in front of a much wider and mobile audience, we can increase your property booking opportunities throughout the year. Plus, take a look at our You Tube channel!

The Blueriver Website showcases our hand picked portfolioYour property will feature on our newly vamped website which is user friendly, informative and packed with great features such as live availability and a fast search engine, making it quick and easy for guests to find their ideal place to stay and ensuring that we attract a high ratio of repeat visits from holidaymakers throughout the year.

Keep track of your holiday home 24/7 with secure owners login We’re very proud of our bespoke holiday bookings software, as it not only keeps calendars on our own website up to date, but also those on Holiday Lettings and Trip Advisor too, offering live availability always – so we never miss a chance to book out your property.

This bespoke software also enables property owners to securely login to add bookings, add or change property details and track the performance of their properties whenever they need to – it’s the hassle free way to keep track of your property 24/7. It also automatically notifies our cleaners where and when their next changeover is, who is staying at your property and if they have any requests such as, needing a highchair, a cot or even champagne – so you can always trust us to deliver.

Call us on 01803 833682 or visit www.bluerivercottages.co.uk

Taking the hassle out of holiday lets

At Blueriver we keep our prices simple and transparent, so we offer two great services at two unbeatable rates.

Whatever option you choose, we’ll make sure that you’ll get the very best service. We’ll also market your property to a global audience via Holiday Lettings and Trip Advisor and to do this, we charge an annual fee of £145 per property (for individual properties).

Their commission is low compared to larger letting agents and we feel that we receive a reliable and

efficient service which is excellent value for money. Plus, a national company would not be able to provide

such a personal and friendly service.

Two superb services, two unbeatable rates: both great value for money


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How much will it cost me?

Our services and commission rates (all prices are subject to the standard rate of VAT):

Option 1: Bookings Only – an unbeatable 16%

Take advantage of our 20 years experience in the holiday let market and ensure all your customer enquiries and bookings are handled in a trusted and professional manner by the Blueriver team.

• A premium listing on the Blueriver website and national and international marketing including entry onto, Trip Advisor, Holiday Lettings and Love to Escape. As a private Landlord advertising on just Holiday Lettings alone would cost you in excess of £350! We also advertise with many other holiday accommodation websites and other marketing media companies to boost our profile.

• Our secure online booking facility (enabling guests to check availability online and proceed with a booking 24/7)

• Fast and professional response to enquiries

• Payment processing (including debit and credit cards)

• Booking confirmation and arrival instructions sent to guests

• High booking conversion rates (our conversion rate of enquiries to bookings is around 70 - 80%)

• Owners Login, enabling you to add your own bookings and monitor your accounts and property performance at all times.

Option 2: Standard Management – an unbeatable 19%

Our Standard Management service includes the same features as our Bookings Only service, but with the extra benefits of full property management. So we’ll always be on hand to take away the hassle involved in running your holiday home, by providing the following:

All the features of our Bookings Only service, plus;

• A Welcome Pack – including useful property and location information i.e. emergency tel. numbers, local recommended restaurants, what’s on guide etc (a one off fee for preparing a pack is £45)

• Cleaning and laundry co-ordination (Charged to owner)

• Cleaners login enabling cleaners to gain all required information and detail for every booking e.g. guests names, arrival/departure times, duration of stay and any special requests or instructions e.g. highchairs, extra linen etc.

• Key holding service

• Winterization e.g. frost protection etc, regular property checks

• Payment of all bills e.g. Gas, Electricity, Council Tax etc (on the owner’s behalf)

• Co-ordination of contractors for maintenance works


How much will it cost me?

Letting out your holiday home means that you need to meet certain Legal, Health and Safety duties and it is our joint responsibility to ensure that we not only meet those duties but also maintain them too. We’ve lots of experience in this area and will always be on hand to help.

Insurance If you let out your home, you must ensure that comprehensive insurance is in place, which specifically covers holiday letting and includes appropriate Public Liability Insurance. We have teamed up with the Sabre Finance Group to offer you some of the best rates on the market. Just ask for more details.

A good example of their excellent customer care is when

last October the gas went off (due to local gas works

in the street) leaving our guests without heating and

hot water. Phil was there straight away providing

heaters for our guests, and helping them immediately.

We’ll help you meet your statutory duties & give you peace of mind.


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All you need to know and more..

Health and Safety Gas - Annual Safety Check Since 1998, all gas appliances must be checked for safety within 12 months of being installed, and thereafter annually by a suitably registered engineer. You must also ensure that all gas appliances, flues and associated pipe work are maintained in a safe condition at all times. For more information and to find your local health and safety officer, visit www.hse.gov.uk. Or just give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Electric You have a “duty of care” to ensure that all electrical systems and appliances are always well maintained and must carry out at least one visual inspection each year to check for general wear and tear and other potential defects. A Portable Appliance Test (PAT) should be undertaken by a qualified electrician on a regular basis and we recommend this at the start of the letting programme and subsequently, at 2 year intervals. Any new installations or alterations should also be undertaken by a qualified electrician and formally approved by a member of the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation.

Fire Risk AssessmentBefore letting out your property, we need to ensure that your property is compliant with current fire regulations (please visit www.commuitied.gov.uk for more information). You will need a clear means of escape in the event of fire, a fully functional warning system and the correct fire fighting equipment available at all times. It is also essential to have a Carbon Monoxide alarm for properties whose appliances burn fossil fuels.

Your property will require the following;

• A Fire Risk Assessment

• Smoke Detector - which must be sealed units so they cannot be disabled or the batteries removed. Ten year lithium detectors will be installed (these work out cheaper as they do not require batteries to be renewed)

• Carbon Monoxide Alarm - No responsible landlord would be without one of these alarms.

• 2Kg Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher

• 120 x 120 Fire Blanket

• 9Ltr Water Fire Extinguisher - for properties with open fires, or a thatched roof.

For peace of mind, we use the services of Advanced Fire Protection South West Ltd, who we’ll ask to carry out a risk assessment and supply and install the required fire fighting equipment at your home. They will also provide a notice of fire action at your property and supply both you and us with a copy of the Fire Risk Assessment, (we’ll keep our copy in your file on your behalf for our records).

How much will this cost?Please see below for the great value rates, we’ve negotiated with Advanced Fire Protection.

Fire Risk Assessment £45.00

2Kg Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher £25.50

120x120 Fire Blanket £18.50

10 Year Lithium Cell Smoke Detector £19.80

Carbon Monoxide Alarm £28.50

Please note that VAT must be added to all equipment prices. (Price includes installation)

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2005Since 2005, both property let owners and managers, are required to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. And, if a request has been made, and you do not react to this request, it will be deemed unlawful, unless it can be justified under the Act above. Property Owners will only have to make sensible adjustments and will not have to remove or alter physical features of the premises. Please talk to us if you need any guidance in this area.


All you need to know and more..

For your guests to keep returning time and time again, it’s important to prepare your home to not only meet your guests expectations but exceed them. So, here are a few tips to ensure happy guests all year round:-

First Impressions count! Make your home stand out from the very first impression – a clean and smart house front and a visible house sign will make it easy for your guests to find you. Once inside, make them feel welcome by leaving a personal note telling them that you hope they enjoy their stay, as this adds a personal touch.

Starter Pack Leave a ‘starter pack’ of basic essentials including toilet rolls, cleaning materials, soap, washing powder, dishwasher tablets and bin bags. But leaving partially used bottles, jars and other half-used consumables is a no-no as it creates a poor impression. By the way, if you are a regular visitor to your holiday home, then a secure cupboard or second fridge will help.

we have found that many guests have returned this

year, or plan to return which means they love our holiday

home and also the friendly and efficient service provided by Phil and the Blueriver team.

..and keep your guests coming back for more


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A few tips for preparing your holiday home

Useful Information Welcome Guide: An up to date welcome folder is useful for holiday tenants and should include information such as a list of local restaurants, places of interest, maps, brochures, a What’s On guide and other leaflets etc.

“How to” Guide: This useful guide should include instructions on how to use your appliances and can be very helpful to your guests. If you can also make a note of any idiosyncrasies, this will help greatly and can reduce the number of times we or you are called for assistance!

For a one off fee, we’ll create both the guides above so you can be assured that your guests will receive all the information they’ll need during their stay at your home.

Visitors’ Book: Great for customer feedback, this can help considerably increase customer satisfaction. We’ll also send out an email survey after each booking and will let you know what your guests thought of your home, so, if required, any improvements can be made.

High quality accommodation Your property needs to be well presented throughout with good quality fixtures, fittings, furnishings and carpets/flooring with a high standard of decoration.

It’s essential that you meet the needs of the maximum number of visitors. E.g. if your property ‘Sleeps 6’ then there must be enough beds for 6 people. Sofa beds should be regarded as just an overnight stay for visitors of your guests and there should be plenty of bedding always made available i.e. Duvets, pillows, blankets etc. for double the number of guests.

Don’t forget, you’ll also need seating for 6 in the lounge/sitting room plus 6 chairs at the dining table. Crockery, tableware, cutlery and other similar items should be available for up to 2 sittings per day (i.e. 12 of each).

The Exterior As mentioned earlier, first impressions count, therefore it is essential that the outside of your home is kept neat and tidy. Please keep gardens, drive-ways and external lighting in all outside areas, in good order. Have enough dustbins for the size of party, especially as holiday-makers tend to create more refuse than a typical residential party! And a good tip is to clearly outline the collection day within your information pack, so that the rubbish doesn’t pile up.


A few tips for preparing your holiday home

The Interior We know from our customer feedback that, cleanliness is essential throughout your property and so please make sure that your home is thoroughly cleaned before the start of each letting – (rest assured, if you are using our standard property management service, then we’ll do that for you!) A poorly cleaned property will not encourage repeat bookings. So you’ll need to get that duster out!

Rooms Kitchens • Make sure that the kitchen has everything they need to

self cater.• Have a wide range of pots and pans in different sizes

and enough cutlery, crockery, glasses etc. for double the number of people your property sleeps.

• A kettle and toaster will be expected, and irons, microwaves and washing machines are also required for repeat bookings.

• Leave some basic supplies such as tea, coffee, herbs and sugar for your guests to use, as well as every day essentials such as, washing up liquid, sponges, tea towels and washing powder. It’ll be much appreciated and help make them feel at home!

Bathrooms • Provide at least two good quality bath towels per guest,

medium sized towels for people to dry their hair and of course, hand towels.

• Non-slip shower mats are a must and bathmats will stop guests using your towels on the floor.

• Keep a supply of spare toilet rolls and soap, as you’ll never know when they might be needed!

Lounge/Dining Rooms • Good quality, comfortable furniture, especially sofa’s, is

a must. Don’t put guests off with old covers and fraying edges as it will create the wrong impression.

• Ensure there is enough comfortable seating for the least number of guests.

• A good-sized TV and DVD player, as well as books and games should help keep your guests entertained on rainy days – why not try your local charity shop or Ebay for these.

• Provide coasters to prevent marks on tables and use washable throws on sofas, to keep wear and tear at bay.

• A games console could be a good investment if you’re catering for families – again Ebay is a great place for this.

Bedrooms • Invest in good quality beds and bedding. We recommend

having 3 sets of linen for each bed to make changeovers quicker (i.e. 1 on the bed, 1 in the wash and 1 in the cupboard).

• A hairdryer, bedside lamp and an alarm clock are all useful.

• Make sure there is plenty of clothes storage space and a supply of good quality matching coat hangers – Ikea is a great place for these.

So if you’re thinking of letting your holiday property, we’d love to hear from you

by phone on 01803 833682 by email at [email protected] or simply by completing the contact form on our website: www.bluerivercottages.co.uk/contact-usLet’s arrange a convenient time to visit your property – with no obligation, of course.

We’ll then take a look around your property to ensure that it is suitable, make our recommendations to maximize its potential as a holiday home and of course answer any questions you may have regarding the statutory obligations you need to meet.

Finally, if we think we can help, we’ll provide you with a formal proposal, ask you to complete a few forms and we’ll take care of the rest.

We hope to hear from you soon.

Phil and the team

Phil and his team are positive, enthusiastic and

full of ideas. Their service is efficient and good value.

We would thoroughly recommend them.

Now that we’ve told you all about us, we’d love to hear all about you


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What happens now?

Documents

Owners Information Pack