Holidaylettings Free Listings

[Charlie]

Hi, Any owners using the free listings package on Holidaylettings and if so any thoughts? Thanks


Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=10903.0

[Kalkan Magic]

Hi Charlie
We started to use it a couple of months ago just in addition to OD to let a couple of stray weeks. They said initially that there was obviously the 3% (I think?) commission but that the emails of enquirers were given so you could deal with them direct without having to use the HL site to manage the booking and obviously not pay commission.
It seemed a bit of a no brainer but then it changed and now you have to go through them which is a real pain. I haven't used it so far but it all looks v complicated as you have to 'send a quote' then you don't get the payment until the guest ends their holiday. We used to do something similar with villarenters years ago and soon knocked that on the head.
I would definitely de list at the end of the season as we get very booked up anyway, like I said, we thought it can't harm just to shift the odd week here and there. I'd be interested in others' views too.

[Charlie]

Hi KM and thank you for your reply. Like you it is in addition to our ad on OD and again for a few stray weeks.  Seems very complicated and non personal.  I'll try it for a few weeks and let you know how I get on.

[Chris S]

I agree with all KM has said.
What happens if Holiday Lettings goes bust whilst holding rental payments.  Are the payments put into escrow?  We hear that large organisations go bust all the time and HL suggest that guests are more secure through this system.
Also, they put up your rental prices. It seems to me they are a bunch of control freaks.
Whilst insisting that they are not party to the contract between the owner and the guest, they then insist on applying their own terms and conditions and restricted cancellation policies, not yours.  I think this is legally questionable if they are not a party to the contract.
What happens to the cash if a 'cute' guest reports back to Holiday Lettings that they are unhappy with the accomodation as soon as they arrive?
I am not sure but I think you are prohibited from talking directly to the prospective guests with a view to vetting suitability.
As astute members may have guessed from this post, I am not entirely impressed. 
From grumpy old f...

[Mayday1]

I pay for an advert on holiday lettings.I control the bookings,i speak to guests directly,its my terms and conditions,and i am paid directly by the guests.No HL control,no commision to pay.If something is free like this,there are usually strings attached and its more trouble than its worth,by all accounts.

My advice is dont bother.Stick with paid adverts on OD or HL.

[Kalkan Magic]

Yes Mayday but when it started a month or two ago, you were able to control your own bookings too in the same way as paid for listings can. This then changed which is where the problem lies. Of-course you can take your ad offline any time you want to, you're not forced into a contract or anything.

[Anne]

One other issue with a paid advert iin HL is that they now direct all enquiries through HL, rather than, as used to happen, enquiries coming direct to your own email address.  So to some extend I agree with the comment on control.  It's not a big issue to then give people your own email address so you are dealing direct, just a bit of a nuisance.