Advice on renting a holiday home

[olivia]

We are currently building a holiday cottage on the West coast and are planning to offer it for rental for next tourist season. I have been told by local tourist board that this season was very slow. Has any one who is/has done this any advice to offer? Is it worth going on Failte Ireland brochure/website? I am thinking of doing our own website and brochure as marketing tools. Has anyone any guidance to offer in relation to vetting potential renters?

 

[Morven]

Also have holiday house to let in West (Mayo). No problem letting house for July / Aug / Sept / Christmas / New Year. Aug was pretty much booked out before Xmas of last year! This is our second season letting the house and we have had no problems at all so far (touch wood)! Difficult to see how you can vet tenants before they arrive (all you can reasonably do is request a deposit to cover damages). Bookings tend to be from UK and Irish Families who all treat the house with great respect. We stayed away from Failte Ireland as found their regulations too restrictive. DAFT have a very good holiday house section where you can include photos for a nominal fee - we get a lot of enquiries this way. Also Mayo Ireland have a very good site - if your house in Mayo that is! Hope this a help - best of luck!