ALG Security Ltd

Posted on December 20, 2018January 21, 2020 by admin

We’d like to introduce a local business to our clients, both old & new that we feel offer a valuable security service for holiday or second home owners in the local area.

ALG Security is owned by local businessman Bobby Gaze, their core business is key holding and alarm response alongside providing security services to local businesses and organisations throughout the county such as Conwy County Borough Council, Clwyd Alyn Housing Association, The Imperial Hotel and the St. George’s Hotel.

Although Conwy has a relatively low crime rate in comparison with other areas, the popularity of this beautiful corner of the world has seen an increase in visitors and investment in the tourist sector over the last 5 years; more and more people are purchasing a property in the area, whether it be a seaside apartment, or a cottage that needs renovating, with the average minimum spend on the setting up of a 2 bed apartment coming in close to £5,000.

Holiday homes are let on average between 30-35 weeks of the year, which leaves quite a few vacant weeks making holiday homes vulnerable to burglary and theft; Insurance company Schofields recommends that holiday homes have adequate security procedures in place such as CCTV or a ring device, which is a great deterrent to potential intruders, however the question that springs to mind in a worse case scenario, what do you do if you see intruders in your property whilst you are at home hundreds of miles away?

This is where ALG Security come in….ALG will respond to your alarm/CCTV on activation 24/7, SIA trained security personnel will carry out a full & detailed search of your property, deal with the situation and re-set the alarm system; all call outs result in written reports, full description of the incidents and details of how it was resolved.

To hear more about the security services that ALG Security can provide, please get in touch with Bobby Gaze on 01492 588756 / 07572590578.

Top 5 Essentials for Guests

Posted on November 29, 2018November 29, 2018 by admin

Here’s our list of the top 5 essential requirements that self-catering guests are looking for when booking a holiday let:

Wifi

Having WiFi in a property is considered to be as much an essential having hot water for a shower; many guests will look to use the internet to check in when they’ve arrived, search for a nearby restaurant or book tickets for a local attraction so having a good internet connection is a must. Make sure that the password can be found easily, ideally on the front page of a welcome folder & also look into putting range extenders if it’s a large property so that all areas of the property have good coverage.

Television

Sounds simple enough, point the remote at the telly to turn it on and away you go, but guests not being able to work the television is one of our main call out reasons. Make sure you’ve included instructions on how to access Sky or Freeview channels, whether the set is a smart tv & to check battery remotes are working.

Kitchen

Having a fully equipped kitchen will help make the guest experience all the better when staying at self-catering accommodation. Essentials include, enough glassware & crockery for each guest (along with spares tucked away incase of breakages), pots & pans, a cupboard to store their dry food such as cereals etc, oven, kettle, hob, microwave, fridge & freezer alongside tea towels, sponge, washing up liquid and little touches like salt & pepper, tea, coffee & sugar.

Parking

If your property has off road parking ….great, all you need to do is make sure guests know where it is and how many vehicles can be accommodated. If not, before a guest arrives tell them as much as you can about the parking situation, by being as helpful & honest as possible by telling them where the best spaces are or where the nearest car park is it becomes a positive, guests will appreciate the local advice.

Washing Machine & Tumble Dryer

Having a washer & dryer in the house is a bonus for families and couples alike, along with an ironing board & iron.

Letting Your Holiday Home With Airbnb

Posted on January 6, 2018January 21, 2020 by admin

For those of you who are new to the holiday rental business you may be wondering about advertising your property on Airbnb, the popular hosting platform but may have been put off by the horror stories in the tabloid press or have seen a certain programme on the telly.

Unfortunately it’s only the horror stories that make the headlines and as we know, headlines help sell papers, nobody wants to read the story of the couple who enjoyed a 4 night Parisian stay in a stunning apartment over looking the Seine or how a family of 6 enjoyed Christmas in a cosy cottage in Snowdonia. So in the spirit of looking at things from the glass half full perspective, lets look at the positives of letting your property on Airbnb.

It’s incredibly flexible. You can snooze your listing at any time, but you do need to honour any confirmed bookings.
You can adjust your availability calendar, add bookings from other sites or use your property yourself and not be penalised or limited to how often you use your property.
Set your own pricing structure or take up the suggested price tips.
You get to meet people from all different walks of life, this year alone I’ve met actors from a touring musical, Korean students, a family from Manchester celebrating Rosh Hashanah and many more interesting guests that booked via Airbnb from around the globe.
If you feel uncomfortable about a booking, you can cancel.
Airbnb offers a 600,000 damages cover (this is not a substitute for having adequate insurance cover).
Lower commission rates in comparison to traditional agencies.
Build up a rapport with guests prior to their arrival.
Guests and hosts are able to review each other. The reviews are only seen when both parties have left their reviews, which avoids a nasty tit for tat situation.

Letting Your Second Home

Posted on April 12, 2017January 21, 2020 by admin

Benefits of Letting your Second Home

If you’re thinking about buying a holiday home, or already own a second home, there are plenty of benefits to opening your doors to visiting tourists, take a look at some of the benefits of holiday letting your second home….

Earn an income from your property

The demand for self-catering accommodation is on the rise and it has been for several years, there’s never been a better time to start marketing your property and earn an income from it when you not in use by yourselves.
During the peak summer period, you’ll be able to charge a premium on your weekly rental (sometimes in excess of five times winter rental rates). Many people will use the winter months for short 3 night stays, you’d be surprised at how many people choose to take a winter break in the UK.

Enjoy potential tax benefits of holiday letting

A key benefit when it comes to holiday homes, as oppose to renting out other types of property, is that if you let out a furnished holiday home in the UK, your rental income can be treated more advantageously for tax purposes than from other rental income.

Help the local economy

When visitors stay in your property they’ll inevitably spend the majority of their money in local shops, pubs, restaurants and visiting local attractions, helping to boost the local economy.

Remember you can have a holiday too!

If you’ve bought the perfect property one thing you’ll also want to do is enjoy it! Letting your property out as a furnished holiday let means that you’ll also be able to visit and stay in your own property from time to time, allowing you to have a break in your very own holiday home. If this is the first time you’ve decided to let out your holiday home it’s a good idea to experience holidays in your second home as your guests would, viewing it from their perspective will help you decide on improvements that’ll make your property even more desirable to potential guests and you’ll be able to make any changes prior to the first booking.

Won’t it be a lot of work?

Owning a holiday home needn’t be a stressful experience. There are a large number of holiday letting agents and property management companies such as ourselves who’ll be able to look after the entire needs of your property, from changeover cleans, taking payments and dealing with potential disputes, to marketing your holiday home and generating bookings.