When you are letting out your holiday home for the first time, it can be tough to know what your rental customers might like to have waiting for them when they arrive. Though some choose to go the whole-hog and leave guests ornate welcome baskets filled with epicurean delights, others might take a more simplistic approach by supplying all the essential items needed in a Great British holiday home (namely tea, milk and possibly biscuits). Each approach is likely to produce similarly positive results; guests don’t necessarily need to be dazzled, just pleasantly surprised. Because repeat business and word of mouth are important factors in successful holiday home ownership, it is a good idea to go the extra mile when attempting to achieve customer satisfaction.
You need to think about how far your property is from the shops when compiling a list of welcome basket items that your holiday home might need, as well as how far your guests are likely to have travelled when they arrive. Also, you will need to think about whether you group the items together in a basket-style format, or just place the items where they belong. Some things will be better left in a clearly visible spot (like the kettle, teabags and cups), while others might be perishable so will have to be refrigerated (like the milk) and some might be needed in a particular spot at short notice (like the toilet roll). Remember that your guests will already have unpacking to do, so (though things should be visible) it is best that they won’t need to be lugged around the house.
Hygienic products, such as toilet roll and hand soap, are essential. You should also have some cleaning products on hand, such as washing up liquid or dishwasher tablets (if applicable) and perhaps washing powder for clothing. You don’t necessarily need to leave large quantities of cleaning products, but it can be in your own interest to leave some. Any potentially harmful cleaning products, like bleach, should be kept out of the reach of children for better family friendliness. As well as cleaning products, you should have a decent supply of thing to clean up with (sponges, bin bags, dustpan and brush and even a hoover).
Replacement household items, such as light bulbs, should be stashed in a prominent place (as you can hardly expect your guests to buy these items for you). You should also have a torch, a fair supply of replacement batteries to fit your torch and other remote controls about the house. Clothes pegs are a must and fresh towels and bedclothes will want to reside in an airing cupboard. In more luxurious holiday rentals, it is becoming common practice to offer guests a “pillow menu” on arrival, giving them the chance to select a pillow that is right for them (though it might sound a bit mad, it might make for more satisfied guests).
Enough plates and cutlery for all the guests is vital, plus extras to account for breakages or dinner guests. Seating is also important for the same reasons (though hopefully breakage is less likely), and you should have a dining table big enough (at least) to accommodate all of your guests (the maximum occupancy of the property) in one sitting. You might want to include a little coal and the rudiments necessary to produce fire (lighters and matches, rather than two sticks to rub together). Extra touches that might go down well could include samples of local produce, perhaps food items that your local area is renowned for where applicable.
You should always make sure you have appropriate home insurance cover before you open your doors to guests. Also, if your second home is left unoccupied for long periods of time, you might be need to seek specialist unoccupied insurance, as many insurers won’t cover your house if it is empty for more than 30 days at a time. With homeprotect you can get a competitive online quote for unoccupied home insurance or holiday home insurance, regardless of how it is used.
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