Creating a top notch holiday cottage is a lifestyle choice and can be very rewarding. Investing in bricks and mortar (or thatch and cob) in the current UK property market is a long term game and even more so if you are considering dipping your toes in the holiday letting business. Repeat business is the key.

Your country bolt hole can earn its keep, whilst reserving some time for your own weekend escapes, but for your cottage to be considered a Furnished Holiday Letting for UK tax purposes it must meet the following criteria:

The holiday cottage must be available for rent to the public for at least 210 days of the year as of April 2012, and actually occupied with paying guests for at least 105 days in the year as of April 2012.

Jude Dalton of New Forest Living, an established holiday cottage business based in the New Forest, has the following advice; ‘Select an area which ticks the boxes for an all season destination – two hours from Greater London, for example, provides a good target audience for weekend and mid week breaks’.

‘Properties can be cheaper to buy in more inaccessible areas, but they have to be really special to attract year round bookings. Think brand names too – The New Forest, The Lake District, The Cotswolds – it’s easier to push the benefits of a holiday in such locations as they are already familiar destinations for potential bookers’.

Jude also suggests purchasing an existing holiday let to cut down on leg work researching different markets. ‘Benefits include an existing customer base, trading accounts and usually the contents of the cottage included in the purchase price. Book a short break yourselves to road test the holiday vibe before putting in your offer’.

If you already live in a popular UK holiday destination, self managing your own holiday let will yield greater returns than if you delegate the turnarounds to management companies. But if you are based in Pimlico and dream of a cottage in the New Forest, then realistically the round trip to make the beds or meet an emergency plumber on site isn’t very practical.

So, to factor in the cost of turnarounds, your holiday cottage has to be something really special to generate the cash. Even two bed cottages can command a good rental price which will give you the profit levels to employ your own local housekeeper.

‘But not just any ordinary two bedroomed cottage’ says Jude, who uses Hunters Moon in Godshill, New Forest as a good bench mark, http://www.newforestliving.co.uk/holidaycottage/hunters-moon-72/

‘A good nights sleep on pocket sprung king size beds, ensuite bathrooms and shower rooms, log fires, wifi, iPod docking, range cooker, off road parking and a pretty and private garden, plus a good pub within walking distance. Result.’

Quite a tall order, the but internet is a very transparent medium and a gorgeous photo shoot will get the aspirational message over and set your holiday cottage apart from the average self catering holiday let.

If you’re interested in buying a cottage for holiday lettings in The New Forest, Jude and the team at New Forest Living would be more than happy to help you. See their website for further details about their service: http://www.newforestliving.co.uk/property-owners/

Contact details:
Jude Dalton
Telephone 0845 680 0173
Email info@newforestliving.co.uk

New Forest Living Ltd, 2A Admirals Way, Hythe, New Forest, Hampshire S045 6RU

Controversial plans in the Queen’s speech designed to force private landlords to check the immigration status of tenants prior to signing them up could be watered down. It is now likely that the new rules will apply only to certain problem areas in the country.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is looking to apply the new rules in those areas were illegals are known to be a problem.

The change of course by the government has likely been brought about by the hoo haa created when the idea was fist floated in the Queen’s speech. There have been strong objections to the proposals from the main landlord associations.

It was feared that private landlords could face fines running into thousands of pounds by simply missing the fact that one of their tenants should not be residing in the UK.

It will probably come as a relief to the majority of landlords that the changes will likely be targeted at certain areas,a such as some of the boroughs in London.

Justifying the latest move the government have stated that they are reluctant to saddle the majority of landlords with more red tape and that they want to avoid disproportionate regulations on the private rented sector.

Some argued that the original plan would not only increase the landlord’s burden, it would also push up the landlord’s costs, which would inevitably be passed on to tenants, but it could also dissuade landlords from more buy to let investments.

Fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA), in partnership with British Gas and the National Landlords Association are organising a series of free Green Deal and ECO events across the UK aimed specifically at private landlords. The events are CPD accredited.

There will be 6 seminars across England, Wales and Scotland aimed at informing private landlords on the Government’s Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation and exploring some of the potential barriers and solutions to successful delivery of the schemes.

Maria Wardrobe, Director of External Affairs, NEA says: ‘The private rented sector has a higher incidence of cold hazards than any other housing sector and this is a particular issue for older properties that may not be well insulated or may lack modern heating systems. Under the Government’s Green Deal scheme, private landlords will be able to make energy efficiency improvements without having to pay for them upfront, providing the opportunity to improve both the fabric of their properties and the comfort and wellbeing of their tenants. ’

Ken Staunton, Head of Regions at the NLA, says: ‘The Green Deal is a prime opportunity for private landlords to prove they are able to self-regulate and improve the energy efficiency of their properties. With over 4.5 million households currently renting private-residential property, this will make a real difference to those who make their home in the sector, as well as helping landlords to future-proof their properties.

It is imperative that landlords assess whether their properties are eligible for a Green Deal grant. The Government has made it clear that there will be consequences for those who do not voluntarily improve the energy efficiency of their properties by a specific time, so landlords should comply with the cost-neutral scheme.’

There is no charge for attendance.

The seminars are being held in the following locations:

• 12 March – Manchester – Mercure Piccadilly Hotel, Portland St, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester M1 4PH
• 18 March – Newcastle – Centre for Life, Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 4EP
• 18 April – Leicester – British Gas Energy Academy, Conference Centre, Aylestone Road, Leicester LE2 7QH
• 29 April – London – Prospero House, 241 Borough High Street, London SE1 1GA
• 1 May – Glasgow – Venue TBC
• Mid Wales – TBC

If you are interested in attending please register on the NEA website: www.nea.org.uk/gd-eco-seminar or call Brian Hart on 0191 2692906. Indicating your preferred area(s) and whether you have any special facility or dietary requirements (lunch is also being provided free of charge).