Grumpy Australian Holiday Rental Owner or Neighbour?
A grumpy cat to grab your attention - nice! So which side of the fence are you on? We're all a little grumpy about the impending rules and regulations to be thrust upon our niche short term accommodation sector in Australia.Let's face it...most owners managers in the niche short term accommodation rental sector in Australia have known they have largely been flying under the radar. Only recently has Government realised how many exist and what benefit, and impact, they have on the economy and community amenity. And I'm not just talking about the Australian Government. This is high profile global stuff we're talking about here.The challenges differ in each unique tourism region in Australia too. Particularly if you compare high density grouped dwelling stays with regional Australia. There are supply concerns in larger cities which is supposedly driving the price of residential accommodation through the roof and other quieter seaside tourist meccas that demand more tourist accommodation - so short term fills that void. Some cities are in a recession, others are booming!Let's not play the blame game though and point the finger at collaborative consumption trends and savvy digital booking platforms. The reality is that more and more travellers are seeking out an authentic and culturally enriching travel experience and booking portals and OTA's have made that possible as they do generate bookings - we can thank Stayz as the online booking, remote owner management pioneers in Australia. We also know the world has been a little scary since major world events and well the fact is mostly there is little money to indulge in interstate or international travel. This means the traveller is looking for a bargain.We also know the world has been a little scary since major world events and well the fact is mostly there is little money to indulge in interstate or international travel. This means the traveller is looking for a bargain.Holiday homes have always existed. My peers and I have always stayed in holiday rentals over hotels. I've never really understood the appeal of staying in a stuffy hotel room. I prefer space and fresh air and a homely experience plus it means a group of us can bunker down together, share meals and time together and not pay ridiculous prices for buffet breakfasts that many don't front up for, for whatever reason...big night, slept in, preferred to support the local seaside cafe.We haven't needed the fluffy slippers or the dressing gown (most probably manufactured and owned by an international), the newspaper under our door or the revolutionary wake up call or $15 plus movies. Funnily enough we can access most of this fluffy stuff (minus the dressing gown - who actually wears those anyway?) from our smart phones.Times have changed. We are more tech savvy, bargain savvy - because of technology giving us choice and price comparison.Because times are changing though we are sharing our things more, our spaces. More and more savvy people who have a bit of spare space are listing their properties as a whole house or room for rent in the short term accommodation rental market. Yes, it's been happening and a tradition in Australia for many many years. The reality is inventory is now huge and that is because consumers have changed the way they travel and set a demand for such an experience.Right so now you have the background. In the wake of a number of Government enquiries into short term accommodation rental regulations in Australia I have these thoughts;NoiseStart with Noise Abatement legislation. Think about parties. If you are throwing a party in your street you would usually consult your neighbours? If not, you would probably hold your head in shame and knock on their doors the next day and hand them a bottle of Moet - yes I've done this before - actually I sent my husband over! As long as you're not doing this regularly then I am sure you will not be rejected by your neighbourhood.These neighbours have children, or elderly parents or have to get up and work every day. These people need at least 7/8 hours sleep. I know if I don't get enough sleep I will get grumpy and if it happens all the time then I will take action and believe me this is why the sector is under the microscope and why you are a contributor to tighter regulations to control such rogue operations.The fact is there are laws that protect neighbourhood amenity. This means a certain noise level is acceptable. Go over that you will make your neighbours grumpy and they have the right to call the Police. First and foremost you must educate yourself on acceptable noise or just use your common sense and educate your guests to behave.ParkingThe same applies for parking. It would be very helpful and proactive to tell your guests how many car parking spaces there are and that it is not ok to park on the neighbours lawn. Seriously if you are operating and not being mindful of your neighbours then education (for managers and guests) should be considered an important piece of the puzzle.Group Dwelling & Other Zoning RestrictionsWhile I don't think group dwellings are suitable for short term rentals I do think that every owner/ manager should have the opportunity to give it a go. If they disrupt their amenity or rip anyone off then they will naturally have to shut down their operation.Owners Corporations should only have the power to enforce the rules and regulations not set them.Zoning restrictions are irrelevant.House Size & NumbersHouse size is irrelevant.Restricted numbers fair enough but only in terms of health and safety. I realise that overcrowing creates a risk of noisy parties but mostly we are talking about groups of friends or families who just want to crash together to keep the cost low. Noise controls should do just that - control the noise. It's common sense isn't it?!License - Education for Owners & GuestsManagement of a short term rental accommodation is a whole lot of hard work. I know this because I have owner managed with my own investment properties and I've been up close with managers of multiple properties. If we are to give our visitors a fantastic experience then we need to take this seriously and do it properly. There has to be some sort of license that involves education that links to rules and regulations. It is absolutely necessary and has been a long time coming. It forces the rogue operators out of the shadows and weeds them out as they fail to play by the rules.Trust accounting is a pain in the behind -mostly I think it is necessary - but may requires a relook and rejig as many aspects of it generate a lot of extra work for managers. It's something that needs to be tabled for further discussion that is for sure.Tax is tax. Income is income. You earn an income you decide whether you declare it or. You don't, you risk getting in trouble. That is on you. I really cannot see the difference and if the ATO are worried they are missing out on income they maybe they need to introduce a requirement for an ABN of sorts. Maybe an AMBN (Australian Micro Business Number). I don't really know. It's not been a concern for me because I have always claimed the income from my short term accommodation rental ventures in Australia.Grumpy Neighbours - Where is Your Voice?If you are not a stakeholder, other than an irate neighbour of a rogue operation, then I am sorry on behalf of the industry that you are located in such proximity to a lesser human being. One that is spoiling it for the rest of the industry. My advice is write to your local government authority and consider constructive suggestions on how your life may be made easier. Also I urge you to consider the benefits. Firstly you may have a skill to offer the manager that might earn you some income (caretaker, cleaner, guest experience etc), it's also good to have someone in the house rather than it sitting vacant and you can never tell if your residential neighbour is going to behave either. We never knew we'd be renting next to a barking dog for six months when we relocated out of the City. Yep a barking dog. A relentlessly loud barking puppy who missed it parents every time they walked out the door, including through the night, when they went out of town. Yes, that made me grumpy.Think about all those lovely visitors staying in your community and spending money to boost your economy. This is happening. This is really truly happening especially if the managers of the holiday rentals are going out of their way to speak with local tourism operators and offering guests a special deal.Managers Present & On Call 24/7Managers must be on call 24/7. You might have the convenience of key locks and avoid the face to face meet and greet. Fair enough. If you are not available to take a call in the event of an emergency or because the kettle isn't working (which I think is an emergency) then you should not be managing a property. Sure, appoint a caretaker but that person should be registered and available.Insurance & Risk ManagementIf you do not have insurance that is your prerogative but for the safety of guests opting to consume holiday rental accommodation I think it is overall a good practice. It means someone has actually assessed your home, identified areas of concern (ie a balcony that is about to collapse) and decided whether it is safe for guests and if not, what is required to bring it up to an acceptable standard. I do believe consumers will be looking out for accredited style accommodations knowing they are safe when staying in the property. If not, there is an understanding that home style accommodation comes with risk just the same as if you crashed in your friends 50 year old granny flat. I actually cannot understand why any manager would operate without the necessary checks and insurances. Maybe they do not understand how many thousands of dollars they may be out of pocket should someone be injured or possibly die in their property. Yes - it happens!!!Fair Rules & RegulationFair rules and regulations and engagement and education with grass roots stakeholders are on the only way forward in my opinion. Knee jerk reactions will hurt this growing sector which is in demand. It is counter productive.Stakeholders Working TogetherLocal government and local tourism organisations must work with short term accommodation rental stakeholders. Not against them. This includes allowing for booking systems that integrate with the managers own independent calendar. Visitor centres must not consider accommodation and experiences as a source of income. It is working against all tourism operators.Owners/ Managers Come Out Of The Shadows - Out From Under The RadarAll owners must come out from the shadows and have a voice. Fly that flag and say yes I have a short term accommodation rental and I want to continue working closely with my local stakeholders to learn how to best operate. If you think that remaining silent will help your cause you are absolutely incorrect. That is in fact why a number of enquiries are being damaged because there isn't enough input from the actual owners and managers of these properties because they are worried they will be shut down. The reality is you will be shut down unless you can convince your worth to your local people, most importantly your local community.Code of ConductYes there is a Code of Conduct introduced by the Holiday Rental Industry Association. We hope all stakeholders, especially those on the grass roots, have a chance to provide some input on any future reviews. Let's also hope there is an education program attached to it that is endorsed and promoted by local government.My closing message is that it is vitally important to understand that you as the owner/ manager of a holiday rental accommodation business in Australia are the most important stakeholder group. Think of global booking portals and OTA's as a means of finding guests. They can certainly contribute their thoughts and opinions, that will protect their own bottom lines, from their own perspective. It is you at the coal face that really knows what is going on and who is well placed to contribute ideas and better ways of going about business.Always strive for independent management for sustainability and only list your properties with booking portals and OTA's who allow integration with your own management technology and systems. Aim for direct bookings through your own independent systems and remarketing to your own guest database.Ok so let's all wait and see what happens with the individual state and territory Enquiries. It's going to be an interesting year ahead.If you are a niche short term rental accommodation industry stakeholder in Australia you might be interested in connecting with me on Linked In. I have a group discussion in place for Short Term Rental Accommodation Legislation & Local Laws.If you'd like to learn more I am currently drafting a guide/ publication for managers and other short-term or holiday rental accommodation stakeholders. Subscribers will receive a discount when it becomes available later in 2018.Have a superb day!CheersNatalie :)Subsequent news stories since the first publication date of this editorial (30/3/2017);Balcony collapse in Brisbane suburb of St Lucia leaves nine in hospitalTravel giant Expedia joins campaign for crackdown on Airbnb rentalsThe 'booming' NSW economy that 100,000 people have joinedWinners and losers – the five main options for proposed NSW Airbnb laws
Invest In Decent Pegs & Other Holiday Rental Business Start Up Tips
Well hello, welcome to the short term residential accommodation/ holiday rental/ short term accommodation rental industry in Australia - a lovely little, yet rapidly growing and sought after, niche accommodation sector.
Yes! you are a legitimate start up now. You're a new short term holiday rental accommodation venture. You're not technically commercial because this is your investment property (same as long term residential) however you are still operating a very teeny tiny operation and you need to be organised for the best chance of success, and so you're on good terms with your local community, local government and the Australian Taxation Office.
Right so you have your short term residential property in the ideal location, close to unique experiences and other major tourism attractions, public transport, parks and playgrounds, major events venues, city/town CBD's etc. Once you have your property and location sorted consider the following as you start to build a framework for your exciting new venture.
PERMISSION
Although I do not think you should need to, in the current regulatory climate in Australia you firstly want to speak with your local government authority for permission to operate. There may be a registration scheme in place in your local area, you might need to have proper parking, you might not be in the right zone for permitted use. It is best to tell your local government what you wish to set up and they can step you through the approval process.
Most will let you erect a small sign out the front of your property too. Just check the signage policy.
If you want to be extra courteous I think it's worth a knock on your neighbours doors. If you are in a high density locality you may be required to seek permission off your neighbours to operate. You never know they might want to get involved and help out too. You can always barter accommodation discounts for their friends and family.
FIT OUT
Remember you are selling a residential homely experience online first and foremost so whatever you place in your property will be captured in images and used for digital marketing. You are looking for the lovely balance of style vs practicality remembering that a whole bunch of strangers are going to be looking at, and using all of, the chosen furnishings.
Remember that while you may be hoping to achieve an appealing and unique style, for your short term holiday rental accommodation, you want it to translate as homely, comfortable, clean, safe and stocked. If you aren't confident fitting out your holiday rental yourself there are many suppliers out there who specialise in such services. We had a company called WOW Factor who fit out our executive apartment a few years ago. It was worth every cent in my opinion.
Comfy lounges. Make sure there are a few of them. I have stayed in some holiday rentals with one small two seater lounge to share for a family or large group. Seriously! where is everyone else going to sit? Choose durable easily cleaned materials with an affordable replacement cost. There will be times when you need to replace large furniture items.
Throw rugs and cushions. Just make sure they aren't your precious international travel collectibles. They need to be durable so you can throw them in the washing machine every now and again. Have fun without the expense.
Dining table chairs. Don't bother with cushions. They will get stained, ripped, ruined in no time. Just opt for comfy chairs with hard woods, metals or plastics. Think hard wearing, easily cleaned surfaces for everything.
Well equipped kitchen. Think about what you would like in your kitchen if you rented short term accommodation and wanted to cook every day. There are many travelers who choose short term residential style accommodation for this very reason. You don't need all the fancy utensils, crockery and other equipment. Just a lot of the basic day to day supplies. If you under-stock you will get unstuck. Things will go missing and get broken. Your guests will let you know and you can decide if you want to deduct from their bond or if you should just price your per night rate to allow for the occasional replacement item.
Durable linen x 3 sets for each bed. Don't take short cuts with this especially if you intend to look after linen yourself - which I highly recommend you do not unless you have an industrial style washing machine and dryer and an absolutely incredible cleaner. High thread count and consider different colours or patterns for different sized beds or label clearly on the inside near the edge so it is hidden when the bed is made. Make sure you have sufficient storage on or off site for linen.
Durable absorbent towels. Think about how you feel when you grab your towel for the first time in the accommodation you book. Do you like fluffy, pleasant smelling absorbent, clean towels? If yes, then make this a priority. Remember they will be cleaned many times so if you try to cut corners you will find yourself high and dry. Quality is very important with towels. Oh and remember if you have an outdoor spa or pool, or live near a river or beach, then you will need to supply beach towels. Again ensure you have sufficient storage. I would put out one bath towel per guest and have a spare stored away for when the guest requests additional. Mostly guests will wash their own linen for short stays. They understand that short term residential accommodation is self catering.
Remember floor mats (light durable for frequent washing), hand towels x 1 for each bathroom plus a washer for each guest.Tea Towels. Any type x 2 per booking is my recommendation. There is nothing worse than a soggy tea towel and they don't take up much space in the washing machine.
Absolutely positively get decent pillows and absolutely positively get pillow covers and actually mattress protectors are essential too. Take those pillow and mattress protectors off every guest changeover. Crappy pillows equals crappy sleep and we all know what we're like when we're sleep deprived. I personally prefer to take my own pillow where possible but if I am to lay my head on a high traffic pillow I want it to not smell like another human so if in doubt, recycle it into a teddy bear and buy a new one or dry clean. Always allow two per person.
Blankets. Don't bother layering your bed. Nice linen with a clean, easily washable coverlet or light doona and cover that can be thrown in the wash every time is best. Have a store of extra thin yet warm blankets (highly durable for frequent washing instead of your grandmas vintage 100% wool blanket) available so guests can layer to their liking.
If you have light plush carpets my recommendation is to replace them with a tight weave darker colour combination that won't reveal every mark. The alternative is hall runners and mats in high traffic areas. Definitely put a mat under your dining table if that room is carpeted or consider relocating the dining table or tiling/ vinyl planking that space. Always think about the ease of cleaning.
Think about all the surfaces in the property. The floors, the walls, bench tops etc. Are they easily cleaned, durable. Can they handle high traffic wear and tear.It's ok to use signs throughout the house. Laminate them and keep them looking tidy. For example you might put the recycle days on the fridge, no smoking signs inside, basic instructions on how to operate the TV or washing machine. Remember you can provide a full list of instructions in a folder in the property and make a digital copy available before guests arrive.
Rubbish. Maybe supply two big internal bins and mark them rubbish and recycle. We always order an extra bin for our rentals. The local government should supply an extra bin no worries at a small extra charge. It's worth it. Educate your guests to put out the rubbish on departure and to put the bins out on bin days. It is a huge help for cleaners.Heating and cooling. Make sure your air conditioner filters are cleaned and service regularly (add it to your maintenance schedule), batteries are in your remotes (and spare batteries stored away in a draw for easy access) and if you have a wood fire have wood chopped and stock piled for guests, with a few small pieces of kindling, a fire lighter and matches wrapped in paper to help them get it lit quickly. Maybe place this in a spot that is out of reach of children and include the storage location in your instruction manual.
Batteries in your TV remotes (and instructions for use in the manual). Consider Netflix or other paid TV, smart TV's etc. Video and DVD players are old fashioned now and need maintenance.Outdoor areas. If you have a yard, provide some shade. If you have a pool, provide some pool toys, chairs and table beside it for example. Supply a BBQ and make sure you tell guests they must clean after use and fill empty gas bottles. Add this to the House Rules and Terms & Conditions. Provide outdoor lounge chairs or hammocks. Anything that you like to see in your yard is always good to include in the yard of your holiday rental.
Study area for business ready guests plus Wifi although most mobile plans have sufficient data allowances these days so it isn't absolutely essential. Just consider that some people want to be online when they travel whether they are working or not. Why not consider a note pad that lives in the house with WIFI access. Attach it to a chain if you're worried it will walk. It's a good place to store house instructions and local tourism experiences, even a greeting video.
Guest feedback. Make sure you supply a guest book so they can leave a comment or have a digital option you can send post stay. Also make it known that you would be very grateful if they notice something in the house that you as the manager should know about. Ie, broken glass in cupboard, kettle not working, hot water system on the blink, some of the grass out the back is brown and in desperate need of a water. Encourage and provide a communication mechanism for any feedback positive or negative. It is all really valuable.
If you want to decorate with plants indoors make sure they are either artificial (you can get some amazing artificial plants now through suppliers such as Plant Image) or not thirsty like succulents. Don't be afraid to ask your guests to give them a little water from time to time. Maybe supply a spray bottle and store it under the sink and refer to it in your instruction manual.
Remove all valuables from the house. Anything you don't have an emotional connection with or that is hugely expensive to repair or replace. You can still stylishly furnish a property without having antique and costly furnishings that you will miss when they are gone. Pay particular attention to vibrant, colourful art or photography on walls of unique experiences in the region or local artist prints, colourful lamps, pillows, throw rugs. Anything that adds personality and authenticity.
I think it is best not to have family photos around the house. Its a bit strange. I can understand it if it's your own holiday house as well however it's something that I would advise against. You want guests to feel like it's their home for the brief time they are renting it off you.
Think about little extras that you can provide to enhance the guests experience. Maybe a free bicycle or two, a kayak or surfboard, fishing rod and tackle, free library of awesome books, board games, free access to fruit trees and herb gardens, eggs from the chook pen, maybe a free coffee voucher for your favourite cafe or discount off a big breakfast or a free paper with breakfast. Anything that you think might offer a little bit of spoiling and make your guest feel super duper.
Extra things like a decent vacuum cleaner, dust pan and broom, outdoor and indoor broom, bucket and mop, toilet brushes, little bins for toilets and bathrooms.
Also don't forget washing basket and lots of pegs. It's so annoying to run out of pegs and especially pegs that break. Invest in decent pegs!
PARKING
Provide information on allocated parking bays before the guests arrive so there are no surprises. Especially if you don't want guests to park on lawns or in neighbours spaces. The more information you provide up front the less surprises for you and your guests and the local community in which your property is located.
CLEANING & MAINTENANCE
Cleaning is a huge job. To find a reliable professional cleaner is absolutely like striking gold. We found one local cleaner for our property in the Perth Hills by advertising in the community paper. She was amazing. Mostly you will find you have to employ a professional contract cleaner if you want complete professionalism and reliability however they will not be the cleaners you can trust with meet and greets and all the extra tasks because they are likely to be a different person each time and will probably charge a little more for the service. Make sure you create a cleaning procedure with a room by room run down. It comes in very handy. For those who don't have a property management system with built in cleaning systems consider having a look at Properly.
I always organise a vacate style clean before I start operating and make sure you get your cleaners to give the place a good top to toe scrub every few months paying attention to walls and windows. A clean holiday rental is enjoyed so much more by guests and you want them to keep coming back.
Same with maintenance. Do you have coconut palms that need de-fruiting, palm fronds need pruning, grass mowing, gardens weeding. All this takes time and is important to keep on top of for presentation sake, and so your garden doesn't die on you. You might even need to consider reticulation or hire a professional maintenance and garden contractor to take care of this for you. They'll bring their own equipment most of the time. Headache sorted. Make it easy for the contractors and draft a maintenance plan for each space in the house. Forecast what is required and keep on top of it. This might include checking hand rails, steps, re-coating floor boards, repainting the driveway etc.
CONSUMABLES
This is what I used to include in my Welcome In packs. These are essential supplies based on the understanding that short term holiday rentals are self catering. The supplies are for those guests who forget to bring their shampoo and conditioner or who are tired after a long day travelling and just want to put their feet up and brew a hot cuppa to enjoy with a snack. It's nice to spoil your guests and make them feel welcome even if it's just a token gesture. It's also a good place to promote local experiences. Maybe slip a flyer in there or a link to your website with a tourism experiences page. The idea with the pack is you don't have to keep a stock of basic supplies in cupboards and do stock takes.
Dish cloth/ sponge. My experience is don't get those cheap two in one items. They really are painful and mostly don't get used. One decent sized sponge and a separate scourer is just fine. The guests can find the shop if they have another preference.
Toilet paper. Always have toilet paper available but remember you are not running a hotel so maybe one or two roles per toilet and an absolute emergency back up in the laundry cupboard.
Bin liners, extra plastic bags for rubbish and cleaning. I offer samples of laundry power in my Welcome In packs but you can supply a box in the laundry cupboard if you are feeling extra generous.
Heck even toilet spray or blue loo to make your toilet water look fresh ha ha! All those things are very good to have on the premises.
.STORAGE
Think about storage spaces for linen, cleaning, supplies, maintenance, wood...anything that you will need to service your house and put a lock on them, mark with a sign for private access only or staff use etc.If you have a pool or outdoor spa allow for some storage space of chemicals and other equipment such as cleaning apparatus. You'll need to keep the water clean and healthy for your guests. My recommendation is to hire a pool contractor to look after this for you.
INSURANCE & RISK ASSESSMENT
Make sure you have your insurances in place. It is very important that you find a policy that provides specific cover for holiday rentals landlord insurance. Make sure you are allowed to operate by permission of your local government first and foremost because if you are not then your policy will not cover you. You may also need to consider Public Liability Insurance.Risk management I feel should be considered high priority. It can tie into the maintenance plan I mentioned above. Think about the safety of guests in your home. You have legal responsibilities with spaces like pools. Please look these up and be 100 percent aware and proactive. For example ensure there are no dangerous fall zones for babies and toddlers and if you think there is make sure you make this known to your guests before they book (ie in the listing online), add it to your terms and conditions, reinforce this in your booking confirmation.
Fire blanket, extinguisher, smoke alarms etc. Ask your local government what you are required to supply to protect your guests in the event of a house or bush fire. You’ll typically have to follow the residential building code for compliance.
SECURITY
If you're not intending to meet and greet guests then you might want to invest in a lock box hidden away yet easily found with directions so guests can check themselves in. I think it's good practice to meet and greet but if you must allow for self check in make sure you always change your security codes and never give out this information until the money is in the bank, send it literally last minute like when the guests are in transit. Never put this information on your website or make it public anywhere.
Another option is to ask your neighbour if they are interested in providing the meet and greet and or caretaker service or maybe there is a local beautician or cafe or other retail supplier who is open long hours that you can leave the keys with and direct guests when you are out of town and unable to meet them. This has worked well for me partnering with a local hair dresser. She was happy to provide the service free of charge if I was happy for her to place the key in a gift bag with some flyers of the services she wanted to promote to our guests. There are also key exchanges about these days too. Key cafes I think they're called.
Speaking of locks think about keyless entries, locks that can isolate rooms when you have smaller groups or you want to lock guests out of your own private spaces. This can be very handy and also doubles as good security for insurance purposes.
Alarm and CCTV are are also worth considering for extra security. CCTV can be handy for surveillance for those who need to keep an eye on overcrowding and party behavior. Don't be like one manager I just heard about who set his CCTV to overlook the outdoor spa. Not a good move to be spying on your guests. There are some privacy rules that you need to be aware of for recording devices in Australia. Look them up in your state and territory.
FAMILY & PET FRIENDLY
You have to be really careful with young families. When you say you are family friendly make sure you are. If you have an open front yard onto a busy road - you are not family friendly. If you have a balcony with a huge fall zone - you are not really family friendly unless the doors to the balcony can be locked. If you have a double story home and don't supply gates for the stairs - you are not family friendly. If you have a large pond in your backyard with no fence or mesh cover - you are not family friendly.
I encourage you to not supply children's equipment. Instead consider partnering with a local supplier or children's and baby equipment hire. Ask the guest to make contact and hire direct and you will find they will deliver and pick up most of the time. This means you don't have to worry about equipment failure for insurance purposes. It can also be painful to clean some items including high chairs and cots. Most guests will BYO but it's nice to give them an option to hire if they choose.
Pet friendly is sort of the same situation as with young children. Make sure the house is actually friendly for pets and think about whether you are happy for dogs to come inside or not. And do you allow other pets or just dogs, how tall are your fences? Provide as much detail as possible up front. Also I have learnt that dog lovers will allow their dogs to go everywhere in the house if you keep it open and you have to ask yourself how will the house smell if a non pet loving guest stays after. Will there be a lingering smell and hairs left in/on lounge chairs, mats etc. Consider charging a higher bond for pets who might dig, rip, tear, soil etc. It happens.
Make sure you tell your guests how you expect them to behave. Go right into detail including no smoking inside, no glass in the pool, no noise outside after 10pm, no high heels on the wooden floor boards. Make sure you are very descriptive and refer to the Holiday Rental Industry Association's Code of Conduct. Try and build this into your systems. It will help you and your neighbourhood. Send these house rules when the guest is booking and tell them that when they pay this means they have read and understood and signed off on them. Have a copy in a file on site as well.
MANAGEMENT
So you've set up your holiday rental property. Now who is going to look after inquiries, take bookings, look after all the administration, meet and greet, inspect, respond to call outs and so forth?
While there are great booking portals that will allow you to self manage your properties be very mindful that it is a huge job. For one standard property you are looking at a part time job for administration and another part time job for everything else so cleaning, maintenance, linen etc. It's not a set hour position either and you don't really get holidays unless you block out your calendar which equals no income.My advice is if in doubt do not try and manage a holiday rental yourself. If you are not a people person or particularly good with communication then definitely don't try it yourself. If you are working full time or are away a lot - I so no way! If you don't like cleaning or paying a cleaner, or don't consider maintenance a high priority, then definitely do not bother. I'd rather be up front about this. It will become your worst nightmare if you expect things to run smoothly and for the management of a holiday rental to not impose upon your personal time.
If in doubt call a professional holiday rental manager. There are many about these days. They will charge anywhere from 20 - 30 % commission for the service. Sometimes more but with more inclusions. Hunt around and try and look for those who are members of industry associations like www.hria.com.au or who have tourism or other business accreditations who can ensure a quality service. Ask me (Natalie Drake-Brockman, Welcome In Founder) to connect you if you like.
BONDS
Charge one. I find $500 reasonable for a standard property bond, more for those with luxury fittings and fixtures that might need repair or replacement. Make sure you only hold back bonds with good communication and receipts and reporting and most importantly evidence. Ie you can't just keep a bond because your neighbour complained about a bit of noise.
TECHNOLOGY & MARKETING
These days you will find there are many suppliers of technology that will assist with managing your holiday rental. This will include CCTV apps, security locks that link with your smart phone, many other innovations that will save you time.The single best investment is a Property Management System (PMS). This is the program that will create a database of all your guests, their contact details, payment details for invoicing and payments, a communication tool, a cleaning and maintenance program, calendar linked with fees and charges. It is basically an automation of all your bookings and administration processes all bundled up together as a sophisticated management tool.Traditionally these PMS's have been expensive and out of reach for single property managers but if you contact me I will tell you about one that is new to the market and amazing, but not quite released. If you want to be an early adopter get in quick.
You'll also need a domain and hosting, website or Content Management System (CMS) which is pretty much all the information that sits online on your website. Your PMS should provide a booking engine which also allows for online bookings and links with that program.
And don't forget social media. Start with a Facebook page for your holiday rental. They are a really great marketing tool and you can build your audience with good content, boosting it (Facebook advertising) and running competitions, promoting in our guest communications and so forth. Social media is very effective if you learn how to use it. If you don't have time find a professional. I offer packages so make contact if you want me to help establish a page for you and a lean strategy to get you started. Have a look through my blog articles. I write often with tips for social media marketing.
BRAND & PERSONALITY
I talked about this a little earlier on, and again you will find separate articles in my blog on this very topic. This really is going to make your holiday rental stand out from your competitors, generate you more bookings than the daggy operation down the end of the street.
Think about your unique value proposition. What does your property, locality offer that others don't. What is your properties best features, best spaces. Maybe it's the hammock in the back yard under a shady tree. Maybe it's the pool overlooking the mountains or the cozy reading nook by the wood fire. Or maybe you are 100 metre walk from the best beach in your City or near a hiking track through the hills or the best restaurant in town is conveniently located across the road. Create ambiance with your spaces and images that you use to market your short term residential accommodation.
Think about what builds personality and build a name, a brand for your place. Help your guests build a bond with the property and it's personality then get yourself a nice little logo and design for your website. It does not have to cost you a mint to brand your holiday rental. Again ask me. I can help you out with this.Happy holiday, short term residential accommodation supplying and remember there is a national industry association that can help you if you want to learn more or connect with other stakeholders. I am actually a director on the Board of the Holiday Rental Industry Association and I encourage you to become a member. You will learn so much and be supporting a national peak body who is there to support and represent you and other industry stakeholders. Membership starts from $99 for up to 25 managed holiday rental properties.If you'd like to learn more I am currently drafting a guide/ publication for managers and other short-term or holiday rental accommodation stakeholders. Subscribers will receive a discount when it becomes available later in 2018.
I feel like I'm getting to that stage in my career where I know a bit about the short term and holiday rental accommodation industry in Australia and so if you'd like to read more articles to help you grow and sustain your operation/ business you might like to subscribe (free) to receive my blog articles in your lovely inbox.
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Have a superb day!
Cheers
Natalie :)
Five Tips To Build Your Holiday Rental Accommodation Image Gallery Without Spending A Cent
If you are an owner or manager of holiday rental accommodation in Australia, or anywhere in fact, please read on because there are ways that you can build your holiday rental accommodation image gallery without having to spend a fortune.Professional PhotographyYes, there is a place for professional photography when marketing holiday rentals in Australia. Yes it will cost you money for a professional photographer to take amazing photo's. Mostly the investment is worthwhile however it is vitally important to remember that you are selling an experience, not real estate. You are selling the holiday not the house so be sure to brief your photographer that you are wanting images that capture the unique spaces and experience on offer in your holiday rental accommodation, local tourism attractions and, where possible, ask if they can include human beings enjoying themselves in these special spaces (ie, you, your family, your friends - hiring talent is expensive).Styling is so very important as well. If you are going to the effort of paying a professional photographer to build your holiday rental image gallery then please, please, please make some effort with interior design. You don't have to spend a fortune but this will be the difference between a good image and a dynamic image that converts a booking. Use props where possible such as a vase with fresh flowers, board games, books, throw rugs, cushions, champagne and so forth.Most importantly think of those amazing spaces in your house that scream holidays. A hammock, a quiet nook with a book, the shady outdoor areas, the amazing kids zone, the spa, the incredible tourist attraction down the road or around the corner etc. Try and think what is unique. What your holiday rental accommodation and your tourism region will offer that others won't.Amateur PhotographyThis is where you, as owner/ managers of holiday rentals, can help. There a few ways you can build your image gallery without much effort and without costing you a cent.
Owners: Look through your own photo's and save all that feature your holiday rental or the local experiences nearby. If you have humans in these images ask them for permission to use them for marketing purposes. Seriously save every single one that appeals to you, that evokes a happy memory, that you think tells a story about the property. Save every one of them that ISN'T blurry then forward them to your property manager. If you are the manager of your own property then save the folder as "Image Gallery".
Owners: Ask your friends and family if they have some happy snaps of time spent in your holiday rental. Add them to your image gallery. People like to help. You will be pleasantly surprised. I promise.
Managers: Ask your owners for everything I have mentioned in no's 1 and 2 above.
Managers: Ask your guests to hashtag their happy snaps, check in to the managers Facebook page when they share them and/or email them to you with permission to use for holiday rental marketing communications. Consider running a competition/ promotion (owners - donated accommodation is win win - exposure for you and incentive for participation) to acquire these happy snaps and be sure to ask for permission especially for children who feature in them.
Owners & Managers: Just take photos all the time. When you are feeling the vibe, when you are visiting the holiday rental, when you're staying in it, inspecting it and so forth. Snap away! Digital camera's and smart phones really do capture pretty amazing quality images these days.
So go on then, start sorting, ask for help off loved ones, begging for permission, saving and forwarding those amazing holiday images! Go on, act now - don't delay!The image featured in this article was, in fact, taken by me of my young boys paddling in our magnificent Mandurah waterways on Australia Day. Note - I am not a photographer but I think this is pretty special and an experience that all holiday makers can enjoy when they visit our city.If you have enjoyed this article maybe you'd like to subscribe (free) to the Welcome In e-news. I try to publish these every few months to a community of holiday rental owners and managers in Australia. I encourage you to make contact with me if you have any queries about any aspect of your holiday rental management journey. If I cannot assist you I can certainly point you in the right direction. I am well connected with niche industry holiday rental stakeholders in Australia.Cheers, Natalie :)
Where Do I List My Holiday Rental?
Ask any of my clients what I think about holiday rental booking portals of the global kind and my response will be an eye roll, followed by a huff and puff and then a polite "don't get me started...maybe a discussion for another time when we have... like... ALL DAY!".I started the Welcome In journey as an owner of a portfolio of two holiday rentals. Actually I started with one in the Perth Hills of Western Australia, followed by another corporate short term rental in the Perth CBD. I felt like I took to holiday rental management and marketing like a duck to water I think because I had the commerce and grass roots tourism background but also because I just really enjoyed managing these little micro businesses. I remember the thrill of seeing my first enquiries roll in and then bookings eventuate. Turns out we tapped into a niche market in the Perth Hills and we enjoyed an average of 75% occupancy.I have to say that my holiday rental venture was kickstarted by the advent of Stayz.com.au. Back then it was a much smaller start up operation. When I signed up and listed my holiday rental it seemed to provide management infrastructure that was useful especially the online enquiries, calendar, cleaners log, reviews and a few other features that I thought were quite nifty. It was like your own cost effective website that wasn't actually your own website at all. Some holiday rental managers enjoy this for others, who are somewhat digital marketing savvy, well we went on to become a little more independent by developing our own website, Facebook pages and so on.Fast forward a decade and you can now pick from many global booking portals to list your holiday rental. Stayz has now been acquired by Expedia, which was purchased off HomeAway who bought Stayz off Fairfax and down the chain to the original founders. Many a savvy business tycoon has invested in the global proliferation of the sharing economy. You can now list your holiday rental on Stayz, HomeAway, AirBnB, Wotif, TripAdvisor, Booking.com among many other global holiday rental booking portals.You can also look on shore in Australia and consider portals such as www.australianholidayrentaldirectory.com (ha ha had to throw that one in) and our new partner www.holidaypaws.com.au. There are many more that I will allow you to research yourselves by simply typing in "list your holiday rental in Australia" or something similar.Be mindful that there are sites that will generate enquiries. These are usually the large booking portals who have the funding to invest in marketing. They have the ability to generate leads and convert bookings but it comes at a price. The price to list the property, possibly the price of a commission, the price of your time to manage the listing and if you're calendars are not synced to your own independent booking system that time equates to A LOT of time managing multiple calendars to ensure they all match so you don't end up with a double booking! ARRGGHHH! Double bookings are what nightmares are made of!I recommend that you do your research when you consider which booking portals to list with. Do they;1. Allow for direct links to your own website so the enquiry or booking can be made direct?2. Allow ICAL calendar integration or syncing if they don't allow a direct link to your own website?3. Charge a commission? Who pays it? The guest or you and if you then how simple is that process?4. Affiliate with channel managers?We've recently partnered with Holiday Paws, a pet friendly holiday rental booking portal in Australia. Although they do not allow for a direct link to your own website or property listing you can list your property free of charge and the guest is charged a commission on a reasonable sliding scale depending on the value of the booking. Holiday Paws will set up your listings for you and will allow integration with your own calendar where possible. Essentially the guest makes the booking on their site, they take a deposit to secure the booking, they direct the guest to you to complete the booking and they forward on the deposit minus the commission. It's a new way of doing business and I kind of like the idea that the holiday rental manager can still maintain control over the booking and that the site is merely a place to advertise a property and attract guests to start the booking process.I have come across many stakeholders who ask me if I have listed my properties with this or that booking portal. My answer is usually yes I have heard about them and no I don't list with all of them. Mainly because I don't just jump on the bandwagon and list with every site. My time is precious and I know that it will be eaten up if I have to learn a new booking portals own systems and duplicate the same process across each portal. Load the property description, load the images, add the fee schedule, block out the calendar of bookings made in various locations and so on. I then have to log into each all the time and keep on top of enquiries. I prefer to work with a few portals. I spend time getting to know their product and systems well, how to maximise conversion and most importantly I ensure that I work with booking portals that encourage me to develop my own independent digital marketing strategy. Those that understand that they are only one piece of the long-term sustainability puzzle.If you have enjoyed this article maybe you'd like to subscribe (free) to the Welcome In e-news. I try to publish these every few months to a community of holiday rental managers in Australia. I encourage you to make contact with me if you have any queries about any aspect of your holiday rental management journey. If I cannot assist you I can certainly point you in the right direction. I am well connected with niche industry holiday rental stakeholders in Australia.
Holiday Rental Reviews & Recommendations Are Really Rad!
Eagle bay holiday home facebook search
I just stayed in a fantastic holiday rental in Eagle Bay, Western Australia. I enjoyed the property and location so much that I did what I would hope you would educate all of your holiday rental guests to do - I told everyone about it. I'll explain this further but for now let's rewind a little.I actually located this holiday rental on Facebook. I know crazy hey. I put Holiday Rental Dunsborough (the closest town) in the search box. This is what results displayed.How nifty is that! Your guest can now find you direct by searching within Facebook. Chances are that if the page is set up well it may be optimised in Google too. I'd like to think that the prospective holiday rental guest is becoming very savvy and always discovering ways to find you direct without opting for booking portal assistance straight up. Let's face it we all know you pay for that privilege.I immediately liked the page. Why not, I wanted to keep track of it and refer back to it when I was considering it alongside my other holiday rental options. It's also a great way to show other travel buddies by sending them a link to the page so they can check it out themselves. I find Facebook pages can be mini websites for holiday rentals. They present a holiday rental property really well.Ok so fast forward to post stay because yes we did choose that holiday rental and yes it was largely because of the way it was sold to me on the Facebook page! Given my satisfaction with our choice of holiday rental accommodation I decided take some time out to help the property manager out. This is how I was able to contribute in some small way and this is what I recommend you request ever so nicely off your guests;1. Check in while you're awayWrite a post on your timeline while you're staying in the holiday rental and use the check in function. If you start typing the name, and a Facebook page exists for that holiday rental, it will auto appear.2. Post a Facebook review on the holiday rental Facebook pageI went into the holiday rental Facebook page, clicked on the review tab, described how wonderful the property was and why it was so suitable for us. Remember that those who look at reviews are still trying to determine the suitability of the holiday rental for their travel group.3. Engage with the holiday rental Facebook page contentIf you really like one of the photo's or agree with one of the posts. Show it. Throw them a like or comment or if you are really generous you'll share it on your own page.4. Share the holiday rental Facebook page with your Facebook friendsYes you can click on the URL or website address of a holiday rental Facebook page and past it into a new post on your own page OR just share the page by going to the page, clicking on "more" then "share", enter your comments and follow the prompts. You can even choose which page you want to share it to.5. Tell people about itLastly you could actually have a conversation and tell people about it. I know actual word of mouth! Still quite possibly the most powerful form of promotion in my experience! Human emotion and expression mixed with words can still do so much more to convince and convert.When I have time I'll draft a PDF for you to upload and forward to your guests. Maybe you could send it before you refund their bond (cringe). Cheeky I know! Seriously though I doubt any decent human holiday rental guest would mind giving you a helping hand to promote your holiday rental and sing your praises through their network. As my Mum always told me, if you don't ask you don't get.If you have enjoyed this article maybe you'd like to subscribe (free) to the Welcome In e-news. I try to publish these every few months to a community of holiday rental managers in Australia. I encourage you to make contact with me if you have any queries about any aspect of your holiday rental management journey. If I cannot assist you I can certainly point you in the right direction. I am well connected with niche industry holiday rental stakeholders in Australia.