Choosing a holiday home letting agency in Suffolk

Considering which holiday home letting agency to manage your property? Doing a little bit of homework to get the right match is crucial.

Take some time to research your options and assess exactly what you’re looking for from your agent. Use our handy guide with expert tips below to get you started. The success of your holiday let, it’s return on investment, and your peace of mind will all benefit!

Read on and find out more…

Does the holiday home letting agency offer you the level of service you’re looking for?

Local advice a winning combination at Moat Barn, Suffolk.

Firstly, decide exactly how involved you would like to be in the management of your holiday let. For example, are you hoping to do changeovers yourself? Or would you like an agency that can arrange changeovers with your housekeeper?

Would you like an agency that can arrange a gardener, a window cleaner, or a chimney sweep for example? Or are you able to be that hands-on?

Clearly, not all holiday home letting agencies operate the same way.  Essentially, you should decide what you’re looking for in terms of management support.

Whilst most will market your property, process bookings, and handle guest liaison, pre, during and after their stay, the level of day-to-day management varies.

Through our years of experience, Best of Suffolk know that flexibility is key.  As such we can tailor the level of support according to what looking for from your holiday home letting agency.

Our award-winning team are always on hand to help and we pride ourselves on providing the best possible experience for our owners and guests.

One Best of Suffolk owner, Alpesh Patel recently provided holiday let landlord tips in a recent article in Suffolk Magazine, A Landlord’s Guide on How To Increase Bookings for Your Holiday Home. In it, Alpesh comments;

“If you’re considering letting a holiday home, remember it’s an investment, and the agency you choose is part of that investment too. The access to customers with their website reach is massive. Best of Suffolk are on the higher end of the market and make the property much more money than if I’d gone somewhere else.” – Alpesh Patel, owner – Moat Barn.

Is the holiday home letting agency you’re considering local to your property?

Lime Tree Farm, the Best of Suffolk office.

Another important element to consider is the location of your holiday home letting agency. Can the agent you’re considering effectively market, service and manage your holiday home from their base?

Best of Suffolk have a strong presence in Suffolk, with around 350 properties in the county. This brings multiple benefits for our owners and guests alike.

For example, Best of Suffolk have a local, award-winning team in our converted barn office in the Suffolk countryside, just a short distance from the coastal towns of Southwold and Aldeburgh.

Our top team of local property experts have a vast knowledge of the county, and are experienced in what customers are looking for from their holiday home.

This means we are best placed to offer local advice to guests and owners alike, something national agencies without a locally-based team would not be able to do.

“Thanks for all your help – it is great having the local team, who we know and have worked with for a while, available, and in our corner.” – Owner, Nutmeg – Aldeburgh

What’s more, we also have an extensive network of trusted local tradespeople at our disposal, from housekeepers to handymen and from plumbers to painters and decorators! From routine maintenance to reactive emergencies, we have the local resources and expertise to overcome any property issues.

How much involvement with guests are you looking for?

Keeping your property in tip-top condition.

Be sure to select a holiday home letting agency that offers the level of guest service you are looking for. Whilst most will liaise with guests before arrival, some don’t offer guest liaison during stays.

It’s important to decide what happens if a guest gets in contact during their stay. Do you have capacity to handle any ‘in-house’ issues, or are you looking for an agent who will take care of guests on your behalf?

Think realistically if you will have the time, and the contacts, to help rectify any issues. Think about potential issues your own home, such as a boiler breakdown, a blown fuse or a tripped switch.

Our incredible local team of dedicated experts will do what they do best when things don’t go to plan!

“Last weekend our guests had a problem with the smoke alarm at the cottage. I wanted to write to you to say how totally impressed we were with how Tamar dealt with the problem. She contacted us immediately.  Then liaised with our guests while keeping us up to date with the feedback from the plumber. Her calm and thoughtful approach did not go unnoticed by us. An asset to your team.” – Owner, 7 Church Street, Southwold.

How much do you hope to use your holiday let?

Use and enjoy your holiday home with flexible contracts.

Being realistic about how much you intend to use and enjoy your holiday home is essential when deciding on your agency. You will need to find a holiday home letting agent and contract that offers the flexibility you’re looking for. The more availability you can guarantee, the better the return on investment.

Looking to use the property yourself?

We understand that holiday homes can be used for both business and pleasure! Best of Suffolk offer bespoke contracts tailor-made to the level of usage you would like for your property.

So whether you’re looking to fill in the gaps off-peak, or whether you would like to keep the school holidays for family use, we can provide the flexibility to fit your needs.

Running your holiday let as a business?

If you are hoping to gain maximum return on investment, giving as much availability as possible is the way forward. The more dates available to sell, the greater the number of bookings that can be achieved.

Our bespoke revenue management pricing system means the bookings you receive will be priced at the optimum level for the period.

How will your holiday home letting agency market your property?

As part of the Sykes Holiday Cottages family, Best of Suffolk are proud to bring our owners the best of both worlds. Our owners can enjoy the outstanding combination of a £30 million marketing budget and county-wide expertise, presence and exposure, combined with the local knowledge of our marketing and PR experts.

We have effective marketing and PR campaigns, both on a national and regional level, delivering extensive coverage and getting your property the attention it deserves.

We’ve got all aspects covered with our multi-platform campaigns. We specialise in social media, paid digital advertising, printed mailings and local event sponsorship.

Another benefit of a local team for your holiday cottage letting agency is that their extensive knowledge of your property in particular means they can advise on ways to improve your guest satisfaction levels and reviews for your property.

“I’ve had some really good reviews from appreciative guests, who have enabled me to achieve ‘outstanding’ status at the moment. But I’d be nothing without the support and advice I receive from you and the amazing team at BOS . Thank you!” – Owner, Shoemakers Cottage Friston.

If Best of Suffolk sound like the right match for you and your holiday let property, take a look at our Let Your Cottage page. Whilst you’re there, why not request a copy of our free owners guide? Packed full of top tips and essential information about working with Best of Suffolk.  Let us visit your property and provide an income projection and helpful advice for maximising income. 

Get in touch today. Call 01728 638962 or email pno@bestofsuffolk.co.uk