Tips to turn your home into a short-term rental

Tips to turn your home into a short-term rental

The short-term rental market has been booming for some time now. If you have a second home or some space that you’re not using, you can turn it into a short-term rental and make money from it.

There’s a lot to do before you can start receiving guests and even more to do to ensure that your rental is the ideal choice for potential guests. In this post, we’ll explore tips that can help you turn your home into a profitable short-term rental.

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Acquire the necessary certificates

Before you can start receiving guests, you need to ensure that you adhere to the appropriate health & safety regulations, such as having smoke and CO alarms fitted and having the electrics checked. Read up on your landlord obligations to ensure you don’t inadvertently break the law.

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Prepare the home

Although most guests will be careful and considerate, some of them will not. So, remove anything of value that can be broken or stolen. You also need to provide comfortable furniture if you want your guests to say nice things about your rental online.

Next, ensure that there are no hazards anywhere in the house. If a guest gets injured while staying in your short-term rental, you might find yourself staring at a personal injury lawsuit. Depending on where you live, you might be able to prevent a lawsuit by using a disclaimer form signed by the guest.

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Keep it clean

No one wants to stay in a dirty house, regardless of the length of their stay. You should clean the house every time a guest leaves and before a new one rents the house. If you cannot clean the house yourself or do not know how to do it to meet the minimum recommendations, it’s always a good idea to get in touch with a professional cleaning company.

Professional cleaning companies like Ideal Cleaning Services can come down to the property and have it cleaned and disinfected in very little time. Ideal Cleaning Services uses a disinfectant fogger UK to clean hard surfaces such as tiles and a biocide to clean soft surfaces such as seats and carpets. Ideal Cleaning Services also provides fogging machine COVID disinfection services to keep your guests safe.

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Encourage reviews

Most people will look at the reviews before deciding to rent your home. So, encourage your guests to leave a review without being pushy, as that can lead them to write a negative review.

Also, plan for enough guests before the peak holiday season so that you have ample reviews online before the season begins. According to research, only 40% of guests leave reviews, so if you want 10 reviews before a big season, plan to have 25 guests beforehand.

Turning your home into a short-term rental is a great way to make some extra income, especially if you have a second house that you don’t use often. However, before you can start receiving guests, ensure that you have the home prepared and ready. Also, talk to a professional cleaning company so they can clean and disinfect the house every time a guest leaves.

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Should you consider buying a new boiler?

Should you consider buying a new boiler?

Home-owners are often surprised on being told by a professional that they need to replace their boiler. It’s recommended to get a second opinion before deciding on it, but there are several common indicators of a failing boiler that anyone can take note of themselves. Let’s quickly go through what those indicators are next.

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Frequent breakdowns

The older an electronic appliance is, the more maintenance it needs; which is normal. If, however, the boiler is breaking down frequently, even after ensuring regular maintenance, take it as a sign that the appliance is nearing the end of its service.

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It was installed 10+ years ago

Just because a boiler is more than 10-years old, that does not mean it’s about to fail. On the other hand, when a boiler begins to lose performance, energy-efficiency and breaks down often after a decade, it’s indeed time to look for a new one. Whilst this was once a hassle, there are numerous companies such as Duffy Heating who make replacing your boiler with a newer, better model quite easy. As compared to old models, modern gas boilers are 20-30% more energy-efficient any way, but with a professionals help, you’ll be able to select a model that is best suited for your needs and budget.

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The unit consumption rate is significantly higher than expected in winter

The cost of electricity is always on the rise, which means that your bills will possibly be higher than they were last winter. Simply comparing heating bills with 12-24 months between them is not an accurate way to determine whether a boiler has lost its energy efficiency over the years.

Instead, compare the units consumed during the winter months every year to notice if there was a sudden and sizeable bump at any point. Unless you can explain the bump in unit consumption rate (loss of insulation, property extensions, considerable increase in the number of residents, significant increase in the number of electronic appliances, etc.), it might be time to buy a new gas boiler to save both money and precious energy.

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The yellow-orange pilot flame of doom

The pilot flame inside a boiler is supposed to be blue and steady. If you notice that the flame is turning yellow/orange every now and then, take it as a sign of potential deadly danger. To understand the correlation here, read the points as mentioned next:

  • Yellow, orange or yellow-orange flames produce carbon monoxide (CO)
  • Carbon monoxide is toxic to the level of being deadly, and we can’t smell it
  • When a boiler starts releasing CO, the gas will slowly fill up the entire confined and insulated space of your home
  • This silent killer causes nausea, vertigo, tiredness, sleepiness, headaches, permanent brain damage and death

Call in emergency boiler maintenance first for a temporary solution, and then replace the old, faulty appliance with a new boiler as soon as you can.

Note that boilers, just like every other electronic appliance, can last for longer or shorter periods of time than expected. The life expectancy of a boiler varies depending on the make, model, maintenance, usage, boiler installation etc. and not just its age. If you notice any of the signs we just discussed, consider replacing your boiler before it fails permanently.

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Signs that it’s time for you to move house

Signs that it's time for you to move housecredit

If you’re not one of those people who love to move, then you may wonder if the home you’re in now is going to be the one you stay in forever. This is understandable, but sometimes there are clear signs that you need to move house and, if you’re not careful, you may end up missing them entirely. If you want to find out more, the only thing you need to do is take a look below.

Illustration of man holding a for sale sign outside a house

The market says so

Every single newspaper you pick up will be telling you that it’s a seller’s market. You may even see that estate agents are talking about it and this can make you wonder if it’s possible to make a profit. Either way, if the market is signalling that it is time for you to sell, then this is something that you should be taking notice of. That being said, just because the market indicates that it is time for you to move house, doesn’t mean that you should.  You need to make sure that you’re personally ready to take that next step.

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You’re taking note of prices

If you see that a house on your street has just gone on the market for an unbelievable price, then this may get you thinking. Nothing will get you more excited than knowing that a neighbouring property has won the game on the property market. Be careful of the hype though, even though your property may be on the same street, there may well be other factors influencing the value. You need to do your bit to seek professional advice and you also need to be prepared for carrying out another valuation. This will ensure that you’re making the most from your sale and it will also help you to get a better idea of what you could achieve.

Illustration of two people exchanging a house for a bag of cash

You’re stretching financially

It’s very rare that you’ll find yourself financially stable for years on end. After all, circumstances change; whether it’s that you change jobs or whether you have kids. Either way, there’s a chance that you may even be looking to enhance your lifestyle or that you need a bit of money with which to play around. If this is the case, then moving home could be a good way for you to move up in the world. If you have a worsening financial situation, then moving home could also be a good way for you to try and free up some tied up money. If you intend on saving, look up the best choice for storage so you can get your furniture out of the way, so you can stage your home properly in preparation for putting it on the market.

Illustration of a couple with a baby moving house

Your family has grown

You may well have started your home, thinking that it was going to be for you and your partner. Now, however, things have changed. It may be that you have a baby on the way or that your home is too small for your little ones. Either way, the reality may hit that you’ve expanded but your home hasn’t. If this is the case, then this would indicate that you need to make a change… and quickly. Needing more space is one of the main reasons why people try and move house, so keep that in mind.

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The most essential home maintenance tips & tricks to help preserve your property

The most essential home maintenance tips & tricks to help preserve your property

Purchasing a property is likely to be the biggest investment that you make during your lifetime; so it’s absolutely vital that you can learn exactly how to preserve your home so that it can maintain its security, structure and value.

Luckily, it needn’t be as difficult as you might expect, as there are just a few key areas in which you must focus your efforts to maintain a happy, healthy family home for asking as possible! So, if you’d like to find out more, simply read on to uncover some of the best home maintenance tips and tricks that you can utilise today.

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Maintaining your home’s structure

One of the most important areas in which you must focus your efforts to ensure you can preserve your property for as long as possible is its structure. Maintaining a strong structure is absolutely key, as having issues such as cracks in walls or holes in roofing can cause your entire home to come crashing down if left untreated over a long period of time. The structure of your home must be able to withstand harsh weather conditions and the test of time, otherwise you risk damaging or even destroying the actual contents and interior of the property as a result.

Your roof should be the main priority, as even something as simple as a loose tile or a clogged drainpipe can lead to damp spots and even flooding indoors. Take the time to climb up on to your roof in a safe manner using a steady set of ladders and a reliable spotter – check for debris that may be putting too much pressure on your roof, as well as any other noticeable changes or dangers that might cause a serious issue.

Damp can also come from the walls and windows of your home, as water can sleep through almost any gap that hasn’t been properly secured or reinforced. Luckily you can go here to learn more about damp proofing and how to treat the effects of damp, as it’s more than possible to navigate around or solve such a problem if you have the right tools and materials to do so.

If your property is still utilising single glazed windows that boast just one pane of glass, now is the perfect time to upgrade. Double (or even triple) glazed windows are far more sturdy and secure in comparison, and can offer real benefits during the cold winter months by locking in the hot air.

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Focus on security

Keeping your property as secure as possible is vital for the sake of both you and your family, as you must ensure that those outside cannot gain access to your property without your consent. The hotspots that you must focus on to prevent such a danger from occurring are the doors and windows of your home, as these are the weakest areas that can be opened fairly easily if you fail to implement preventative measures.

Luckily, it needn’t be tricky to add a few extra layers of security, as you can begin by installing several sets of reinforced metal bars or shutters that close over your windows and doors to stop those from outside getting in. These bars or shutters are utilised in big city areas where residents live right on the street edge, so they’ve been proven to both act as a visual deterrent and physical prevention. You can find a range of different styles and designs to ensure your extra security doesn’t detract from the overall aesthetic of your home, so you needn’t stress over what your new instalment might look like.

Upgrading your front and back doors to those which have advanced locking systems can be of real benefit, as certain options have several locking points (at the top, centre and bottom) which make it far more secure. Rather than having a simple wooden door, search for a reinforced alternative that boasts some kind of internal metal – wood can be broken without the use of any specialised tools, whereas its far more difficult to enter through a sheet of steel.

If you want to take your home security one step further, installing an alarm system that’s activated from movement is a brilliant option to explore. Alarm systems can be fully adapted and personalised to suit your unique needs, allowing for the highest levels of safety and security in and around your property. Whenever something triggers your alarm system, a sound will alert you to the danger and the system often sends a signal directly to the local police force or an outside security agency so that they can jump into action and head to your property.

Following just a few of these security steps can provide you with ultimate peace of mind, as you’ll have the utmost confidence knowing that you’re safe and sound in the comfort of your own home.

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Take care of your garden

Your front garden is the first thing that you (and your visitors) see when arriving at your property, so allowing it to run ragged with overgrown plants and unsightly weeds can drag your home aesthetic right down. Having no curb appeal can encourage people to believe that the lack of effort continues on inside your home, and this is definitely something you want to avoid – especially when seeking to sell your property. Taking good care of your garden can be extremely simple if you have the right tools, as having easy access to a lawn mower or strimmer increases your likelihood of performing regular maintenance.

Take the time to trim the grass and any other plant life that lives in your garden, making sure no tree branches lean on to your house or cover up any windows. Investing in a few flower arrangements such as hanging baskets or potted plants (which are easier to look after) can add an extra touch to your home exterior, increasing your curb appeal further.

Maintaining your property for the foreseeable future has never been so simple when you can utilise the home maintenance tips and tricks described above!

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