How your property can make money during winter
If you own and let a property in France for summer holidays then earning some income during the off-season months is an attractive proposition. Aside from a potential year-round income, there are great advantages to having a property occupied during winter, especially if you are not on site.
A house with people living in it is much safer and more secure than an empty, deserted one. It is also less vulnerable to deterioration, damp and weather damage if it is being kept warm and aired, with any major problems immediately reported.
Many occupants will enjoy sunny days pottering in the garden and so may even help keep your outdoor space tidy and attractive.
Long-term lets can run from one month right up to six months. These days, the demand for spring holiday breaks has increased and so most property owners offer winter lets between November and late February or March, depending partly on the region and local weather. The market for winter lets has traditionally been those who want to escape the British winter and they are drawn to southern regions of France for obvious reasons.
Self-catering properties in quiet rural or coastal locations with attractive scenery could well appeal. But there is another group of people who are now very active in the market for winter lets.
Bob Lucy owns Mas d’en Gariste, a converted farmhouse in Thuir, and manages other properties in the Pyrénées-Orientales department of Languedoc- Roussillon, and he explains: “I now arrange winter lets for families who want to emigrate and, sensibly, want to ‘try before they buy’. These families enroll their children into local French schools and really live the French life. They are also on the ground should that special property come up – the one that’s on the market one day and sold the next. Their stay in France can be a security blanket. If the experience is not all it’s cracked up to be, they haven’t burned their bridges and can easily return home to the UK.”
The price is right
How much can property owners charge for winter lets? The price must be low enough to attract business. “Properties are very affordable during the off-period,” says Bob Lucy. “Large, beautiful and private properties that let at £1,800 per week in the high season are available at £600- £800 per month in winter. Some of our guests let out their UK properties at a far higher rent than they’re paying here in France, so they can enjoy a credit balance while experiencing real French life.”
Charging for services
Before you market your property, it is also necessary to work out how you will charge for utilities. This is more of an issue in winter, when heating is essential and people spend a lot of time indoors. It is not acceptable, for instance, to say that the rent is £100 per week plus a £20 charge for electricity. This would mean that you are selling on the electricity supplied by EDF and the company could take exception. Better to install independent meters and charge for the exact measurement of consumption. Open fires and log-burning stoves are obviously an attractive option for heating. If you are concerned that a large property may be too expensive to heat and just too big for the needs of winter tenants, then consider whether it is practical to close off part of the house.
Whoever your tenant, a comfortable lounge, well-equipped kitchen and quality bathroom will appeal – and one very useful piece of winter equipment is a tumble dryer. This avoids the need for damp clothes hanging in the house during wet weather. When it comes to marketing your property, check whether the website through which you advertise has a special section devoted to long winter lets.
Give details of local activities and events during winter. Bob Lucy says: “French Christmas markets are a new experience for our winter guests, and seem to appear even more charming to them.” List not only fêtes, festivals and markets but also concerts, cultural events, classes for fitness or tai chi and other local services. Tell people what they can do and where they can visit, even for an overnight trip. In other words, make them want to be there. When you receive enquiries, it pays to find out what guests want from their stay and be enterprising in order to help.
You could soon find that winter lets are bringing in an extra stream of income and ensuring that your property is aired and secure during the off-season months.