What should I look for in a holiday home in the UK? What do you want to do when you arrive? Self-catering is probably best because you can eat when you want. It is a holiday after all!! Self catering is the choice of about 90% of holiday home rentals whether the cottage is cheap or expensive and luxurious.

• Do I want Self Catering or Bed and Breakfast?
• Although we know the exact number in the party, would we benefit from accommodation that offers more space? If you want to take extra people, and arrive early you might need to agree with the person who you are renting the cottage from that this is OK
• Are pets welcome if I have a pet?
• Is my priority about cost or is accommodation and the area dictating my booking – either way don’t compromise one for the other without being clear you have the right holiday accommodation?
• Do I want a short break or a week away, short breaks tend to be a little expensive compared to a full week.
• Don’t forget other concerns . eg Is there a country pub nearby, a swimming pool, garden and washing machine?
• Make sure you know where the local shop is or arrive with a few necessary’s. A starter basket are often provided for your arrival (jam, tea, coffee, milk, bread).
• Are Electricity and Gas included in the price?
• Are Linen and Towels included, if not make sure you bring your own?

If you are selecting a cottage in a country village, make sure you book early, unless you are happy to make a last minute booking and benefit from cancellations and discounts.

Other Consideration – Have you found the right holiday accommodation ?

Off Work
Your booking confirmation should come to you after you have booked your property and you need to know that your cottage is available for your holiday in plenty of time so you can book time off work.

Children
If you have kids then look out for glass patio doors or glazed interior doors – they should have stickers at adult and child eye height.Cots and high chairs have to conform to British safety standards so if they are damaged or deficient in any way, then tell the owner.

Parking
Do you  you need off street parking? It is normal in the country side to find that off road parking is standard.  If you are taking your car, motor home, cycles you need to make sure that parking arrangements are satisfactory

Vacate
You must vacate the property on time on the last day, and most property owners provide linen at no extra charge while some prefer to hire out their linen by the week.

And Finally
Make sure you know what do you need to bring with you, such as bedding, towels and kitchen implements like knives and forks.

We hope this helps you with the exciting task of booking the perfect holiday and selecting the right holiday accommodation.

Latest holiday trends report 58 per cent of British holidaymakers were considering enjoying a stay in another part of the UK, compared to 23 per cent of people hinting at a preference to visit the sunny climes of Spain.

Holidaymakers stay UK : Top 10 Destinations

The top 10 UK destinations according to the recent report are, in order:

1. Scottish Highlands
2. Cornwall
3. Devon
4. London
5. Edinburgh
6. Scottish Lowlands
7. Lake District
8. North Wales
9. Yorkshire
10. Dorset

According to the report, the Olympics and the Jubilee will have a definite impact on the choices people make in terms of holidays. Domestic tourism will receive a massive boost, with many saying that these two major events are persuading them to holiday in the UK.

Launched in 2011, the site offers three main sections for cottage enthusiasts to explore when searching for helpful cottage ideas:

Cottage Tips

The Tips pages provide advice on a wide range of topics organized into categories for easy navigation.
The popular Real Estate pages cover all areas of concern for cottage property owners and renters. A variety of helpful tips on buying, selling, renting, and estate planning assist cottage owners and renters in getting the most out of their cottage experience.

The pages related to Cottage Furniture and Decoration are frequently visited by CottageTips.com users who are constantly looking for ways to spruce-up their holiday home.

The Maintenance pages are also user favourites. They include advice on how to properly open the cottage in the spring, keep it in good repair during the summer, and close it down again for the winter.

There are also numerous “how to” tips aimed at managing everything else related to cottage ownership and renting. The tips range from dealing with neighbours and guests to preparing meals and investigating ways to minimize our impact on the environment.

Blog
The Cottage Tips Blog is written by the editor and focuses on a variety of topics related to cottage living. Articles about environmental issues, experiences with the local wildlife, and “Cool Stuff” the Cottage Tips team has come across are all part of the Cottage Tips Blog.

Teams Forum
Finally, the Cottage Tips Teams Forum gives renters and owners a place to interact and ask each other for help and advice on specific topics not covered in the other areas of the Cottage Tips website.

CottageTips.com is extremely user friendly. The pages are easy to navigate and the built-in search function allows users to pinpoint a specific topic of interest anywhere on the site. Registration for the Teams Forum is free, and members are encouraged to show off their knowledge in their specific areas of expertise.

Check it out!

Letting to members of the public carries certain requirements that you cannot overlook and you will need to address these prior to letting

Below are our 7 Essential Tips for Cottage Owners

1. Detailed description. Make sure you put as much detail in your advertising form as the more detail increases the likelyhood of a booking or inquiry. (add your Cottage here)
2. Carbon monoxide detectors. Always install carbon monoxide detectors as this is a safety and legal requirement
3. The Electrical Equipment Regulations 1994 require that all electrical equipment you supply in your property must be safe and any risk associated with electrical equipment reduced to a minimum. An advisory leaflet is published by the Health & Safety Executive called Maintaining Portable Electrical Equipment in Hotels and Tourist Accommodation.
4. Gas Safety Regulations 1996 require that if you have either gas or LPG installed in your property for cooking, heating or lighting you must ensure that any work done on the installation or on appliances is carried out by registered personnel recognised by the Health & Safety Executive. There is a responsibility to ensure that gas cookers in holiday accommodation are safe. The regulations are complex but you are required to have a safety check carried out annually by a fitter who is a Gas Safe registered engineer approved.
5. Insurance. You will need insurance when holiday letting, especially third party liability and damage by holidaymakers
6. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 makes it more important than ever that you recognise the importance of accessibility. It is unlawful to discriminate against a disabled person and you may not refuse to serve or accommodate him/her, offer less favourable terms or offer a lower standard than would usually apply. You as the Cottage Owner must accept a guide or hearing dog even if you do not normally accept pets. The Act states that you must take reasonable steps to ensure your property is accessible to all.
7. Smoke Alarms. Install smoke alarms near each sleeping area and in each of your cottage rentals

Finally one of the best tips for cottage owners is create the right impression and your home will pay dividends. Cut corners and you’ll find being a cottage owner isn’t as rewarding as you planned.

At Cottage agent we are looking for ways to work with cottage holiday owners and help you increase your cottage occupancy
Some owners are achieving well over 85% of the year!

After intense research, we realise that you the owner want full control over booking and arent keen on the sites that take this control away from you and then take a slice

After listing your accomodation on Cottage agent, you have full control of bookings, text and can update 365 days a year

Customers will contact you directly and you maintain full control.

The easy way to Increase your cottage occupancy – Cottage Agent!

Sensible marketing investment ensures the highest levels of occupancy all year round and maximum income for owners.

With the current climate in mind. We are running some recession busting promotions! So if you are an owner of one or several holiday properties, make sure you apply here and get listed on one of our unique and cost effective packages.

So if you need a great occupancy try one of our membership packages and see the bookings increase as your web presence improves.

We can also provide web designers to provide you with a bespoke web design and cottage web site – see freelance designers portfolio

With such a beautiful heritage, many recognise the benefits of staying in the green country for at least one of there weeks off work.

With  many hundreds of castles and fortifications throughout the country, Britain is full of history and wealth from the industrial revolution.The country was soon dotted with palaces, stately homes and gardens, which now attract visitors from all over the World.

Advantages of cottage breaks

With the hectic pace of life today many families hardly see each other during the week. Cottage breaks help keep family’s together. Take a walk around the country side. Explore the local villages. Enjoy a meal down the country pub, or just catchup on a few old DVDs you havent seen for a while.

If you’re without kids then why not take a romantic cottage holiday together? With so many opportunities for romance on a cottage holiday, there is no doubt that you will return feeling both refreshed and renewed and more in love than ever before.

Cottage Breaks are good value for money, don’t miss out on a growing secret that once you discover you will always make time for at least one a year. If you are looking for a real cottage break away from cities, then Devon, Cornwall, Dorset or Somerset are the most liekly areas to explore.

As nearly all holiday cottage accommodation in the UK is individually owned. This means that the accommodation has an individual character. On Cottage Agent you get a chance to speak the owner direct and thereby arrange any additional requirements.

Why not search the site now and book one of our special offers.You’ll find a high standard and some great deals on holiday cottage accommodation.

We work with home owners to find the best holiday homes for you and bookings for them.
When inquiring or booking holiday accommodation listed in this site, you will be dealing direct with the owner or managing agent. Cottage Agent holidays are easy to book. With years of observation and experience in usability.

Here are a few benefits for visitors to Cottage Agent

• Extremely intuitive search
• You pay nothing for direct contact with the owner
• Easy to use interface
• Simple search or advanced search
• You can arrange specific requirements
• Filter the results based on price, bedrooms or other criteria
• See where each property is on Google maps

Here are some benefits for owners using Cottage Agent holidays

• You Have Total Control on Bookings
• Top Rankings in the Search Engines
• Traffic From Search Engines
• We Market Your Property 365 Days a Year
• Save You Money and Hassle
• One Annual Membership Fee – That’s It
• No Transaction Costs Like Other Sites
• Provide You With Your own Property Page
• Featured on Other Property Sites
• Unlimited Bookings for No Extra Cost
• No Hidden Percentages
• Free Image Gallery
• Your Contact Details and Site Link
• Property pinpointed on a Google map

All details and images relating to holiday cottages, apartments, chalets and lodges have been supplied by the owner.

A contact form is provided on every listing enabling you to enquire about any aspect of the holiday property direct.  Feel free to make any enquiry because the owners will have far more knowledge of the property and surrounding area than any agency.

Success will come by making inquiries on several self-catering cottages/ Try to be as flexible as you can with the dates. Early bookings are advisable.

If you are looking for cottages, farm houses, country houses, town houses, apartments, log cabins or just a pad for a get away, Cottage agent aims to get you there.

We are currently updating the site and adding accomodation regularly.

If you want to advertise your self catering holiday accommodation and take advantage of our opening offers please visit the add cottage page.