One of the first questions you might have if you want to rent out your home as a vacation rental is if you need a license to do so. The location of your property and the intended use of it are two important considerations in determining the answer to this question.
Operating a vacation rental is not subject to any specific licensing requirements in the UK. However, you might need to get planning approval before you can rent out your house if it’s situated in a location that is subject to additional laws, such a conservation area or a listed building. Additionally, you might need to apply for a change of use from your local council if you want to use your property as a short-term rental for more than 90 days each year.
Additionally, you must make sure that you are abiding by their terms and conditions if you plan to advertise and manage your vacation rental using a third-party booking platform like Airbnb or Sykes Cottages. For instance, Airbnb mandates that hosts adhere to specific safety rules and register their properties with the service.
What portion of your rental money Sykes Cottages will keep may also be on your mind if you’re thinking about using them as a booking platform for your vacation rental. Depending on the level of service you select, Sykes Cottages normally charges a commission fee of about 20–25% of the rental cost.
In exchange for this fee, Sykes Cottages offers a number of services to assist you in managing your vacation rental, such as listing your home on their website, taking care of reservations and payments, and offering guest support. They also provide further services like cleaning and maintenance, albeit these are chargeable extras.
Overall, even though no formal license is needed to run a vacation rental, it’s crucial to make sure you are abiding by all applicable laws and the terms and conditions of third-party booking websites. By doing this, you can make sure that both you and your visitors have a safe and pleasurable time during your vacation rental.