Rental Advice - Spanish Homeowners

Managing Bookings

When taking bookings for your holiday let in Spain it is essential that you have a system in place to look after the administration side of things. Not being organized can very quickly lead to confusion for both you and your guests which can easily lead to lost or cancelled bookings and negative word of mouth advertising.

There are four main steps involved when handling bookings for your Spanish holiday home. Follow these simple steps and you will be in a position to manage the booking process in an effective and professional manner, which your guests will appreciate and possibly recommend you to their friends.

1. Send a booking contract

   When a holidaymaker enquires about a particular date you should send them a booking contract which should be completed and returned to you within three to five days of receipt along with the booking deposit, in order to confirm the booking. Only confirm a booking for someone when you have cleared funds in your bank account.

   If you want a quick turn around of your booking contract you should consider including a stamped addressed envelope with it and also contact your potential guest if there is a delay as you could be holding rental weeks for them for no reason.

   Decide up front what your booking deposit rate will be and whether it is refundable in the event of a cancellation or not. It is normal to set this deposit as a percentage of the total holiday price and should be in the range of 10% - 25%. Any more than this could put people off and lose you a rental.

   When the completed booking form and deposit has been received, send your guests a thank you note and a receipt, then inform them of when they need to pay the balance by.

    

2. Final payment and security deposits

   Your booking contract will set out the payment schedule but you should also send a reminder for final payment to your guests at a reasonable point ahead of when they intend to arrive. The normal time frame is around 6 to 8 weeks prior to their arrival date which leaves enough time for their payment to have cleared the banking system.

   Security deposits should also be collected at this time which will help to cover any losses you incur if your guests break something during their stay. Let them know beforehand that any damage caused will be deducted from this security deposit. The deposit amount you set is really up to you but it should be sufficient to cover any damages whilst not being excessive enough to make people think twice about renting from you. Between £100 and £400 is generally accepted as being the norm but this can vary depending upon what you want to cover. 

    

3. Arrange for keys and give directions

   Assuming your guests' final payment and security deposit have arrived in time and have FULLY cleared the banking system, then you can set a date to send them the details of how the keys will be exchanged and directions to your holiday home in Spain. If they will need to travel on motorways and there are toll gates to pass through, let them know how much cash they will need.

   Get your guests in the holiday mood by sending them more information about your holiday home and let them know about things to do in the local area. It's worth repeating the booking conditions in the information pack you send at this point and, if necessary, remind them of the check in/out times.

    

4. Check the property

   At the end of your guests' holiday you should get your property and its contents checked. If everything is in order and nothing has been damaged then return the security deposit to your guests.

   It is to be expected that once in a while small accidents do happen and things like glasses or plates will be broken. We would suggest not to deduct money from the security deposit for these as most guests tend to replace them. Any larger items needing repair or replacement should be photographed by your cleaning company and receipts kept. You can then return your guests' security deposit minus the money owed along with copies of the photographs and receipts.