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Spotless Stays is a six-part podcast series about short-term rental cleaning and maintenance produced by Holiday Cottage Handbook and Rural Stays.

During episode four, Rural Stays Founder, Stephanie Flint, outlines why you should not allow pets at your holiday rental and discusses how to clean popular amenities such as hot tubs.

The show is presented by Holiday Cottage Handbook Founder and CEO, James Varley.

1:07 Should hosts allow pets?
2:25 Increased wear and tear 
3:23 Tips for dealing with pets at holiday lets
5:10 Tips for dealing with dog hair
7:14 Dealing with scratches 
9:12 How to deal with a doggy smell
11:18 Hot tubs
15:14 How long it takes to clean a hot tub
18:18 Cleaning kitchen amenities 
21:40 Steph’s oven nightmare, involving bacon!

Links:

Stephanie Flint: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-flint-23170351/

Rural Stays: https://www.ruralcleansyorkshireltd.com/

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/

Contact Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact

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Spotless Stays is a six-part podcast series about short-term rental cleaning and maintenance produced by Holiday Cottage Handbook and Rural Stays.

During episode three, Rural Stays Founder, Stephanie Flint, outlines why you should never charge a cleaning fee to your guests.

The show is presented by Holiday Cottage Handbook Founder and CEO, James Varley.

1:19 Should you charge a cleaning fee or not?
3:29 The pros and cons of charging a cleaning fee
4:39 Steph says: understand your numbers! 
6:21 Airbnb might get rid of the cleaning fee
7:36 What if an owner wants to offer one-night stays?
9:35 The challenges of managing one-night stays
11:46 Nobody should charge a cleaning fee! 

Links:

Stephanie Flint: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-flint-23170351/

Rural Stays: https://www.ruralcleansyorkshireltd.com/

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/

Contact Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact

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Spotless Stays is a six-part podcast series about short-term rental cleaning and maintenance produced by Holiday Cottage Handbook and Rural Stays.

During episode two, Rural Stays Founder, Stephanie Flint, discusses whether short-term rental owners should employ a freelance cleaner or a cleaning company.

The show is presented by Holiday Cottage Handbook Founder and CEO, James Varley.

1:10 Freelancer or company?
2:18 Benefits of working with a cleaning company
4:29 The challenges freelancers face
6:42 The gap between sole trader and business cleaning charges is closing
8:17 A company should deliver a higher standard of cleaning
11:23 A hybrid model can offer the best of both worlds

Links:

Stephanie Flint: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-flint-23170351/

Rural Stays: https://www.ruralcleansyorkshireltd.com/

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/

Contact Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact

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Spotless Stays is a six-part podcast series about short-term rental cleaning and maintenance produced by Holiday Cottage Handbook and Rural Stays.

During episode one, Rural Stays Founder, Stephanie Flint, sets the scene for the series, shares her journey in the industry, and outlines the pros and cons of cleaning your own rental.

The show is presented by Holiday Cottage Handbook Founder and CEO, James Varley.

1:11 Stephanie's journey and the story of Rural Stays
5:49 Clean yourself or outsource?
8:27 Time-consuming and physical 
10:16 Implementing systems and processes from day one to scale
12:38 Take the emotion out of the business 

Links:

Stephanie Flint: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-flint-23170351/

Rural Stays: https://www.ruralcleansyorkshireltd.com/

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/

Contact Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact

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In this episode of the HCH Podcast, we sit down with industry expert Deborah Labi to explore her journey in the short-term rentals world and the many ways she’s helping hosts and property managers elevate their businesses. We learn about Have You Got, The Guest Innspector, the Techsplained series, and The Green Path Podcast. 

Plus, Deborah shares why adopting a direct booking mindset from day one is crucial, how AI is transforming hospitality, and why using video for guest communication is a game-changer.  Don't miss this action-packed episode – listen now! 

2:18 Deborah's journey
3:52 Have You Got
5:05 The Guest Innspector
6:37 The Techsplained Series
7:34 The Green Path Podcast
9:07 A direct booking mindset from day one
12:58 Meet your guest or create a check-in video
14:08 Have You Got in depth
18:21 It’s free to list your properties on Have You Got
20:04 Find out more and sign up: https://www.thehaveyougot.network/
21:27 Rentals all over the world
23:36 The common problems Deborah finds as The Guest Innspector
27:46 The Guest Innspector report 
28:33 The Techsplained Series in depth 
30:58 Promoting sustainability in the industry
33:04 Use AI – or get left behind
34:05 Find out more about AI by listening to Techsplained
35:03 Utilise video to deliver a great guest experience
37:31 Favourite brands: Rory Sutherland and The Diary of a CEO
39:16 Individual shout-out: Daniela Derin
39:52 No. 1 lesson learned: it’s hard to get money out of property managers!

Links:

Deborah Labi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-l-a7566a2b/

Have You Got: https://www.haveyougot.com/

The Techsplained Series: https://thetechsplainedseries.com/

The Guest Innspector: https://www.theguestinnspector.com/

The Green Path Podcast: https://thegreenpathpodcast.com/

Mentions:

Rory Sutherland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/

The Diary of a CEO: https://www.youtube.com/TheDiaryOfACEO

Daniela Derin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniela-derin/

Sponsor mentions:

Your AirHost: https://www.yourairhost.co.uk/

Book a free 15-minute consultation with Zeal Tax to discuss capital allowances: https://calendly.com/hch-zeal

Key Data: https://www.keydatadashboard.com/products/prodata?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=holiday_cottage_handbook

HCH Financial Services: https://www.hchfs.com/

Holiday Cottage Handbook:

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/

Free downloads:

The Ultimate Guide to Short-Term Rentals: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/e-book

Guest Communication 101 for Direct Bookings: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/hospitable

Direct Booking Checklist: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/hospitable

How to Navigate London's 90-Day Short-Term Rentals Limit: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/your-airhost

Enjoy the show? Please subscribe, rate, and review!

Contact the show: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact

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Welcome to HCH Bitesize, the podcast series brought to you by Holiday Cottage Handbook and Hostfully!

In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Steven Core, Head of Business Development at VoltShare, sharing five reasons why installing an EV charger can supercharge both the guest experience and revenue at your short-term rental.

1:40 Reason No. 1: increased visibility 
2:49 Reason No. 2: increase revenue 
3:53 Reason No. 3: increase guest satisfaction
6:14 Reason No. 4: more sustainable
7:27 Reason No. 5: take advantage of government funding (available until March 2025)
8:14 Cost of instalment with VoltShare: about £1,200 (down to £850 with the government funding)
9:13 Anyone can use the charger – you can advertise it on public charging maps
9:44 Some owners offered free EV charging in the past
10:55 Inquire about installing an EV charger with VoltShare: https://voltshare.typeform.com/hchandbook?utm_source=hchweb&typeform-source=www.holidaycottagehandbook.com

Are you looking to streamline your operations and amaze your guests? Look no further than Hostfully! Try their top-rated property management software and award-winning digital guidebooks today (your first guidebook is free!). Join the thousands of satisfied property managers who trust Hostfully to grow their business: https://get.hostfully.com/46p7pafubra1

Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/

Hostfully: https://get.hostfully.com/46p7pafubra1

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Steven Core: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-core-508295110/

Inquire about installing an EV charger with VoltShare: https://voltshare.typeform.com/hchandbook?utm_source=hchweb&typeform-source=www.holidaycottagehandbook.com

Got a comment or interested in being a guest on the show? Get in touch: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share! Your support helps us bring more industry experts like Steven to the show.

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In this episode of the HCH Podcast, we sit down with Ben Levy, Co-Founder of Localbird, to uncover how this innovative platform is reshaping the short-term rental experience for both guests and hosts. Localbird, now active in 25 destinations across Mexico, Costa Rica, and the United States, enables hosts to boost their revenue with unique upselling opportunities.

Ben shares insights into Localbird's growth, the evolving expectations of travellers, and how personalisation and curated upsells are paving the way for the rise of experiential travel. Whether you're a property manager looking to diversify your offerings or a host curious about optimising your guest experience, this conversation is packed with actionable ideas and inspiration.  

2:24 The story of Localbird
5:58 The guest's user experience with Localbird
6:40 Onboarding for hosts and potential revenue
8:01 Localbird is active in 25 destinations
8:42 Localbird is completely free for hosts
9:27 Active in Mexico, Costa Rica, and the US
9:55 The growth plans for Localbird 
10:36 The value of upselling 
12:18 Growing guest expectations 
12:57 Quirky upsells 
14:52 Personalisation is key
16:23 Curate the upsells for your guests 
17:03 The rise of experiential travel 
20:19 Favourite brand: Enso Connect
20:59 Individual shout-out: Robertin Nunez
21:33 No. 1 lesson learned: get the right people around you

Register for Your Air Success (free event for STR hosts and property managers) in London on Friday 4 April: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/yourairsuccess

Ben Levy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benyakirlevy/

Localbird: https://localbird.io/

Mentions:

Enso Connect: https://ensoconnect.com/

Robertin Nunez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefinancialsolution/

Sponsors:

Your AirHost: https://www.yourairhost.co.uk/

Book a free 15-minute consultation with Zeal Tax to discuss capital allowances: https://calendly.com/hch-zeal

Key Data: https://www.keydatadashboard.com/products/prodata?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=holiday_cottage_handbook

HCH Financial Services: https://www.hchfs.com/

Holiday Cottage Handbook:

Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Free downloads:

The Ultimate Guide to Short-Term Rentals: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/e-book

Guest Communication 101 for Direct Bookings: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/hospitable

Direct Booking Checklist: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/hospitable

How to Navigate London's 90-Day Short-Term Rentals Limit: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/your-airhost

Enjoy the show? Please subscribe, rate, and review!

Contact the show: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact

Send us a text

Welcome to HCH Bitesize, the podcast series brought to you by Holiday Cottage Handbook and Hostfully!

In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Marc Ribail, from QALIA, sharing a host of responsible travel tips for the benefit of everyone, including short-term rental hosts and property managers.

1:44 Responsible tourism
3:18 Tip No. 1: the purpose of travel
5:57 Tip No. 2: be mindful of natural resources 
8:05 Tip No. 3: support local businesses 
10:57 Tip No. 4: enjoy low carbon footprint activities 
13:05 Tip No. 5: seek out sustainable properties
14:47 QALIA

Are you looking to streamline your operations and amaze your guests? Look no further than Hostfully! Try their top-rated property management software and award-winning digital guidebooks today (your first guidebook is free!). Join the thousands of satisfied property managers who trust Hostfully to grow their business: https://get.hostfully.com/46p7pafubra1

Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/

Hostfully: https://get.hostfully.com/46p7pafubra1

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Marc Ribail: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcribail/

QALIA: https://qalia.org/

Got a comment or interested in being a guest on the show? Get in touch: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share! Your support helps us bring more industry experts like Marc to the show.  

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On today's Holiday Cottage Handbook Podcast, we’re thrilled to be joined by Catherine Ratcliffe, Founder of Lost Together Stays and STR Benefits Consulting.

Catherine has built an impressive career in the short-term rentals industry, combining her expertise in property management with her passion for helping others succeed.  

In this episode, Catherine shares her journey into the STR world, how she’s perfected systems and processes at Lost Together Stays to deliver exceptional guest experiences, and the invaluable insights she offers property managers through STR Benefits Consulting.  

There are sponsor mentions in the episode for Your AirHost, Zeal Tax, Key Data, and HCH Financial Services.

0:00 Episode starts
2:12 Falling into the STR space
7:12 There are no unique situations in property management 
8:30 Getting your systems and processes right 
11:40 The data to consider when buying a short-term rental
14:58 Delivering great guest experiences at Lost Together Stays
17:53 Helping property managers through STR Benefits Consulting
21:39 CanStays
30:20 Regulation is not going away in any aspect 
34:52 Favourite brand
35:47 Individual shout-out
36:36 No. 1 lesson learned

Register for Your Air Success (free event for STR hosts and property managers) in London on Friday 4 April: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/yourairsuccess

Catherine Ratcliffe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ratcliffecatherine/

Lost Together Stays: https://losttogetherstays.com/

STR Benefits Consulting: https://strbenefitsconsulting.com/

Mention:

Inhaven: https://inhaven.com/

Sponsors:

Your AirHost: https://www.yourairhost.co.uk/

Book a free 15-minute consultation with Zeal Tax to discuss capital allowances: https://calendly.com/hch-zeal

Key Data: https://www.keydatadashboard.com/products/prodata?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=holiday_cottage_handbook

HCH Financial Services: https://www.hchfs.com/

Holiday Cottage Handbook:

Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Free downloads:

The Ultimate Guide to Short-Term Rentals: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/2024-e-book

Guest Communication 101 for Direct Bookings: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/hospitable

Direct Booking Checklist: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/hospitable

How to Navigate London's 90-Day Short-Term Rentals Limit: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/your-airhost

Enjoy the show? Please subscribe, rate, and review!

Contact the show: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact

Send us a text

Welcome to HCH Bitesize, the podcast series brought to you by Holiday Cottage Handbook and Hostfully!

In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Stephanie Flint, from Rural Cleans, sharing her top five cleaning tips designed to help short-term rental hosts and property managers.

Whether you’re a new host or a seasoned pro, these actionable tips will help you to consistently deliver outstanding guest experiences and achieve those all-important five-star reviews.

1:41: Tip No. 1: flexibility
3:47: Tip No. 2: understanding the hospitality industry
5:50: Tip No. 3: problem solving is paramount
9:08: Tip No. 4: essential cleaning amenities 
11:04: Tip No. 5: monitoring 
13:32: Rural Cleans: https://www.ruralcleansyorkshireltd.com/

Are you looking to streamline your operations and amaze your guests? Look no further than Hostfully! Try their top-rated property management software and award-winning digital guidebooks today (your first guidebook is free!). Join the thousands of satisfied property managers who trust Hostfully to grow their business: https://get.hostfully.com/46p7pafubra1

Holiday Cottage Handbook: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/

Hostfully: https://get.hostfully.com/46p7pafubra1

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Stephanie Flint: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-flint-23170351/

Rural Cleans: https://www.ruralcleansyorkshireltd.com/

Got a comment or interested in being a guest on the show? Get in touch: https://www.holidaycottagehandbook.com/contact

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share! Your support helps us bring more industry experts like Stephanie to the show.