4 myths about holiday homes worth clearing up

The main myths about holiday homes are that they are never profitable, that guests usually cause damage, that having strangers come and go means you lose control of the property, and that managing it takes too much time. These risks exist, but they can be reduced with a realistic financial assessment, the right insurance, access control and professional management.

Profitability, damage, security and workload: what is true before you rent out a property.

It is normal to have fears before making an important decision like offering your property as a holiday rental. And when you talk about it with friends and acquaintances, some of them have probably mentioned a few drawbacks or even problems that might come up. They are probably not entirely wrong, but we often end up believing certain claims simply because ‘everyone thinks so’. That is why in this article we want to debunk some myths about holiday rentals. If you want the full picture before deciding, here are the advantages and disadvantages of holiday rentals.

Myth 1: It isn't profitable

Surprisingly, a lot of people think that offering a flat as tourist accommodation isn't profitable. In their view, whatever income you might generate, the activity comes with many costs, among them the fees for the holiday rental licence and the electricity, heating and water bills. Some also argue that because furniture, sheets and towels are in constant use, they end up spending more than planned on new furniture or textiles. Finally, once you subtract taxes and the time you have to put into managing this kind of accommodation, for the most sceptical it practically ends up costing money.

Nothing could be further from the truth! As long as your accommodation is well located, it shouldn't be very hard to get high occupancy, and if it is also attractive and offers the services potential guests expect, you may not only get high occupancy but probably also charge a higher price. Good visibility on booking platforms can also help make your accommodation more profitable, which is why at beBalmy we help you improve it. That visibility starts with good branding for your holiday rental.

And if utility costs worry you, you can always charge them to guests separately. In fact, it is a very popular measure among owners who care about the environment and about wasting energy and water. Finally, if you want to avoid unexpected costs for replacing furniture, sheets or towels, the best thing is to buy good quality from the start; even if it costs more, it will last longer.

Myth 2: They'll probably end up robbing me or wrecking the place

Many owners feel uneasy leaving their home in the hands of strangers. It is a normal concern, because it isn't easy to know whether they will look after your accommodation, but on the other hand it is easy to cover yourself. Having insurance is essential. On top of that, offering your home through platforms where users also have a profile lets you check them out beforehand and accept bookings only if the guest inspires confidence. And if you don't yet know where to list it, here we explain where to list a holiday apartment.

Not enough to feel at ease with your guests? Then you should know that, if your home is in Spain, you also have to send each guest's documents to the competent authorities of your autonomous community. It is quite a tedious process, but at beBalmy we do it automatically as part of our guest check-in service.

Myth 3: I don't trust so many people coming and going

Related to the previous myth, many hosts don't like the idea of too many people coming in and out of their accommodation, because they lose control of what goes on inside. However, you can take a few steps to put your mind at rest. To begin with, guests have to identify themselves at check-in, so you will always know who is in your home and who to hold responsible if there is a problem.

And if what worries you is that your flat ends up becoming a place anyone can get into, there are ways to make your lock more secure. Many properties already have locks whose key is hidden in a little escape room-style box, but our favourite option is the electronic lock. It lets you change the code for every new guest, and it is also safer, because you can only get into the home if you know the code, whereas a key is easier to tamper with. In fact, one of the benefits included in our Standard and Professional plans is the installation of one of these locks. Would you like us to help you gain peace of mind? Find out more.

Myth 4: It's too much hassle

This is probably one of the most widespread myths, and with good reason. Many people are put off by the idea that managing a holiday rental takes too much work and time: cleaning and maintaining the home, handling check-ins and check-outs, the profiles on each platform, offering 24-hour customer service, and so on. That's true, but luckily these days there are companies like beBalmy, experts in managing holiday rental homes, who take care of all these tasks so that you can simply enjoy the income from your holiday rental home.

We've debunked the myths…

As you can see, all these myths that worried you or made you wonder whether launching your home as a holiday rental was a good idea are nothing more than popular beliefs, or problems that actually have a simple solution. So what are you waiting for? Take the plunge into holiday rentals and start making your home pay with complete peace of mind, thanks to the help of professionals like beBalmy. With our help, you can optimise your home's income and won't have to worry about anything except enjoying it.