Your holiday home is an investment and whether you plan to spend half the year there, or just a few weeks every summer or ski season, you want to get the best return on it. Letting out your property to holidaymakers is a great way to make the most of your investment - if you are not there, why not have someone else enjoy a great holiday - and help pay your mortgage!

Having decided to rent out your holiday property, you could use a letting agent, or choose to manage the bookings/lettings yourself. If you are considering using an agent, do check all the details before signing as some do not permit owners to use a property during the peak letting season, and may also restrict usage at other times. One way to ensure a high volume of lets is to do it yourself. While this may seem daunting, it gives you the option to be flexible with your letting periods and pricing, so you can offer last minute pricing, late deals and special offers to ensure maximum occupancy.

Some owners are able to use a local letting agent in addition to doing their own marketing, be aware though that agent commissions vary greatly - most tend to be between 20% and 40% of the rental income. The best thing about handling your own lettings is that you are not bound to a single company, and do not lose rental income paying commission to an agent. In addition, we charge you a flat rate fee for annual advertising and do all the hard work of marketing your property to thousands of potential customers without charging commission on your bookings.

At the end of the day, this is your holiday home you are renting out. By managing your own lettings you remain in control of the property and have the final say in terms of who stays there, when and for how long, and the rental is on your terms. Managing your own lettings can bring in extra income while ensuring that ultimately all decisions regarding bookings and maintenance stay with you.