Questions are being asked following an announcement earlier this month that people can ‘start thinking’ about foreign travel. They revolve around the extra costs involved with COVID-19, the possibility of another wave or strain prolonging the pandemic and the four conditions for lockdown easing. With foreign travel being hinged on a number of factors, will the British public look to UK staycations for their holidays?
According to a survey, approximately 73% of people will choose to holiday within the UK after travel restrictions have been lifted. In opposition, just 19% of the 2002 people questioned said they would travel abroad for their first holiday after travel restrictions are eased. It is quite clear then that staycations will prove to be the more popular choice of holiday while the pandemic lingers on throughout 2021.
Investing in a domestic holiday let may be a smart choice for many in the property business as the market has seen a boom in the last year. Awaze, the holiday rentals and resorts business whose brands include cottages.com and Hoseasons, has sold more than 10,000 UK breaks at a record rate of up to one per second. Their stats back up and suggest the popularity of staycations in the country as the pandemic continues.
For investors, it is essential to note the factors which make up for a successful holiday let.
Safety
Staycations are infinitely safer than holidays abroad, but it is down to the property owner to keep this up. People need to feel assured knowing they are protected from the risks of COVID-19.
Staycations give more freedom and power to holiday-goers as they can keep within their own household or support bubble, minimising the risks of infection. Compared with hotels abroad, this cannot be guaranteed as people are more likely to mix, leading to the potential of COVID-19 spreading. Property investors can ensure safety to UK people in their holiday lets through their COVID-safe policies and measures. For those serious about investing in this department, safety is paramount to success.
Insurance
Being able to protect people in case of an accident or emergency involving a holiday let is important. But investors also need to protect themselves if anything goes wrong as well.
Taking out insurance on a second property should lead to peace of mind. Guest screening protocols will also add to this comfort, knowing that the people renting are ‘good’ guests rather than ‘bad’ guests. Ensuring any company, property or community is protected will be the end goal for all investors, so getting guests to abide by all rules and regulations is critical.
Holiday Let Tax Relief
Lastly, another two benefits of staycations are the higher income potential and holiday let tax relief investors could stand to receive. Mike Liverton, the founder of Jetstream, has said some investors are “considering swapping buy-to-lets for holiday lets” to capitalise on “surging demand from pent-up holidaymakers.”
Understanding what counts as a furnished holiday letting is vital to know if a holiday let can gain from tax relief or not. With enough due diligence and effort put in to qualify, investors could reap the benefits, especially with growing trends such as guests staying in holiday properties for more extended periods, combining leisure with remote working. This is definitely an option to consider for serious investors as they could quickly see profits if done in the correct manner.
Assessing the current market and the expected boom revolving around it, staycations may literally be here to ‘stay’ for longer than anticipated.