Questions You Should Ask When Handing Over Management Of Your Holiday Home

Owning a holiday home can be a rewarding investment, offering you the opportunity to generate income and enjoy holidays to your favourite place whenever you please!

However, managing a holiday property can be a complex and time-consuming task that can sometimes be difficult for first time holiday rentals to navigate. This is where rental managers come in – AKA professionals who specialise in taking care of every aspect of your property, from listing it on booking platforms to handling guest inquiries and ensuring your home is well-maintained. 

But choosing the right rental manager is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly and requires careful consideration. We’ve compiled a list of all the essential questions you should ask when handing over the management of your holiday home to ensure you get the best bang for your buck whilst also protecting your holiday rental.

Here's what you need to consider when handing over management of your holiday rental:

1. Are There Hidden Fees? How much is it going to cost me? 

When selecting a rental manager for your property, it's crucial to consider several factors to maximise your return and get the most bang for your buck. First up, you want to look for managers who don't charge setup fees for listing your property on various booking platforms. 

Try to avoid any property manager imposing unnecessary annual or monthly fees, as transparent pricing is always key when giving someone management of your holiday rental. If you allow pets, inquire about any additional pet fees and carefully weigh any of those extra fees against potential income you will get from pet-friendly bookings. 

Ensure that technology fees are part of the manager's operational expenses, and are not an added cost to you. You also want to make sure cleaning costs are transparent with fixed prices to prevent any unexpected expenses. 

By ensuring you are aware of all fees and pricing when choosing someone to take over management of your holiday home helps to keep your money safe and in your pocket – it’s meant to be an investment after all!

2. What’s the support look like for property owners? 

Choosing a manager for your holiday rental is a daunting task, and at Professional Holiday Homes we know that your holiday rentals are your baby. When looking to hand over management you want to prioritise a good relationship between manager and owner. 

Begin by confirming that the manager has a dedicated and responsive customer service team available 24  hours a day, seven days a week, as this is crucial for addressing any issues promptly and taking the stress of owners if guests encounter any difficulties 

Try to choose someone that is familiar with the area and can help to enhance guest satisfaction by knowing what’s good in the area and able to help guests with recommendations for their trip.

Seek out managers who implement incentive systems for their housekeeping staff, as motivated housekeepers are vital for ensuring your holiday rental stays in tip-top shape. 

You also want to consider the manager's experience and accolades in holiday home management – extensive experience and industry recognition demonstrate a profound understanding of best practices when handing over management of your property. 

Finally (and we think most importantly), you want to opt for teams of like-minded people over solo operators as a multifaceted team is essential for effective holiday rental management.

3. What additional property services and amenities do you offer?

You want to ensure your listing stands out amongst the rest. You can do this by ensuring you choose a management company that uses experienced real estate photographers with professional equipment to produce high-quality images – it’s best to try to find someone who includes this service in their package. 

Quality linen is another key factor for guest comfort, so opt for a manager like us at Professional Holiday Homes that not only purchases and supplies high-quality linen but also professionally launders it at an affordable cost. Look for managers who provide a comprehensive room-by-room property setup guide to maintain a high-quality guest experience and cleanliness. 

Compliance with safety laws is key when handing over the management of your holiday rental, this can be done through in-house services for smoke alarms and evacuation diagrams that comply with the laws in your area. 

You also don’t want any Tom, Dick and Harry to rent your property if they have a track-record of damaging holiday rentals. To avoid this, discuss the guest vetting procedures to filter out potentially problematic guests, particularly for groups like parties, bucks, hens, or schoolies, to make sure your property remains in good hands.

4. What marketing services are on offer? 

Marketing of your holiday rental is king when trying to secure consistent bookings. You want to make sure your property is listed on major booking platforms such as Airbnb, Stayz, Booking.com, and government tourism websites to maximise exposure to potential guests. 

Efficient communication is also vital, so you will want to opt for managers offering automated and customisable guest communications, avoiding those reliant on manual emails and text messages for consistent messaging. 

Additionally, you should aim to consider managers who offer weekly email marketing to tap into a database of previous guests for powerful repeat business opportunities maximising your returns. 

5. What legal and financial considerations do I have to keep in mind?

When you choose a manager for your property, legal considerations should be your top priority. 

Start by verifying that the manager is a licensed real estate agent and holds professional indemnity insurance. Guaranteed compliance with any legal operations will give you peace of mind and protect your investment. 

To help safeguard against property damage or excess cleaning costs for each booking, inquire about measures like having the manager hold credit card pre-authorisations and information from your guests. 

You may also want to ensure that the rental manager doesn't impose any unnecessary limits on your own use of the property. Lastly, confirm that they conduct audited trust accounting in accordance with the laws in your state to maintain financial transparency and accountability.

Choosing the right rental manager for your holiday home involves thorough research and asking all the right questions!

Why choose us for management of your holiday rental?

At Professional Holiday Homes, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional service and transparency in holiday home management. We encourage you to ask us these questions, and you'll find that we meet and exceed your expectations in every aspect of holiday rental management. Your holiday rental investment is always in good hands when you choose to partner with us! 

You can also check out some of the other properties we manage here.

To do your due diligence properly we understand that you need to assess some of our competitors. To help you do this we’ve created a ‘Due Diligence Checklist’ (pre-filled with our responses). We invite you to use the checklist to see how our competitors compare.