Latest news with #holidaylet
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Five-bed property with panoramic views over estuary for sale
A five-bedroom property with panoramic views over the Cleddau Estuary is currently listed for sale at £500,000. According to the estate agent, West Wales Properties, the home is located in the sought-after village of Burton, Milford Haven. The property is divided into two self-contained apartments, offering flexibility for various living arrangements or investment opportunities. The first-floor apartment comprises three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a spacious lounge that opens onto a balcony. The decked area (Image: West Wales Properties) The estate agent suggests this could be an ideal spot to enjoy estuary views and observe the activity on the water throughout the year. The ground-floor apartment, featuring two bedrooms, has been successfully operated as an Airbnb holiday let since 2021. The estate agent notes that the property could be suited to multi-generational living or a combination of holiday rental and permanent residence. The home's back garden is tiered and mainly laid to lawn, with mature trees and shrubs. One of the bedrooms (Image: West Wales Properties) There are two deck areas offering panoramic views over the estuary. According to the estate agent, these areas are ideal for enjoying a morning coffee or al fresco dining. The property is accessed by a sloped driveway, providing plenty of parking and access to the garage. The popular village of Burton hosts a range of amenities, including a country house hotel and The Jolly Sailor public house and restaurant. The village is located eight miles from Haverfordwest and seven miles from Milford Haven, with Neyland Marina and the Cleddau Bridge also nearby. The property is freehold, with mains drainage, electricity, and water.
Telegraph
20-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Labour's endless red tape is killing off the Welsh holiday
Has your holiday let business been affected by anti-tourist policies? Email money@ After a 37-year career in the Royal Navy, Ian Pattinson is tougher than most. But there's one thing that keeps the former captain awake at night and it's nothing to do with his military service – it's his Welsh holiday home. 'Every single day I worry about whether I'm going to make 182,' he says. Pattinson is referring to the number of days his two cottages have to be let each year to qualify for business rates following a change by the Welsh government two years ago. If he fails to hit the target, the properties will be subject to council tax leaving Pattinson with a £2,000 bill. For some Welsh holiday let owners, the bill can come close to £10,000 because their properties are subject to paying a 200pc second home premium. The 182-night rule is just one of a raft of measures brought in by the Welsh government in the past five years that has seen overnight tourist numbers plummet and holiday let owners exit the business. The Professional Association of Self-Caterers (Pasc) has identified 17 government interventions from both the Senedd and Westminster that it says are negatively impacting the sector in Wales. Pattinson, 66, moved to the outskirts of Newport in Pembrokeshire with his wife 10 years ago so the two could enjoy a comfortable retirement. The stone cottages are nestled against the slopes of the ancient Preseli Mountains, in the heart of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. 'For 10 years, we were living the dream. It was excellent. We only had to hit 70 days a year [to qualify for business rates] which we could easily manage. My wife and I both made £7,500 each per cottage and it helped boost our retirement income. 'But the onslaught of policies flooding through the industry at the moment is unbelievable.' On top of a daily worry about whether he'll be landed with a council tax bill, he expects it will cost him £15,000 to upgrade the former farm building to achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C, thanks to Ed Miliband's net zero drive. It all comes as the Welsh government has given the green light for councils to pass an overnight visitor levy, which will leave a family of four spending an extra £72.80 in tax for a two-week stay. Fewer families and shorter stays The problem is fewer families are going on holiday in Wales and those that do aren't staying for long. Of the nearly 70 million people who visit Wales each year, around 90pc are day trips. Since 2022, there has been a 29pc decline in overnight stays, according to data from the Welsh government. Holiday spending is also down by 10pc in the same period. Although Pattinson has in recent years managed to reach the 182-night benchmark, he says the stress of the job and the diminishing returns means he will have to give up one of the cottages. 'We are able to make between 185 and 190 days, but what that means is I can never take my eye off the ball. I can never sit back and relax. My accountant tells me each one of those cottages provides £35,000 spin-off benefits to the local economy. Now I've shut one of them down, that's £35,000 gone straight away. If you multiply that out over what's happening in the rest of Wales, that number starts to build up.' It appears Pattinson's thesis is correct. Although the number of holiday let owners exiting the market is difficult to measure, the Welsh government's recent survey of tourism businesses found 39pc said they had fewer visitors in the last year compared with a year earlier. Tourism provides one in 10 jobs in Wales, contributing £3.8bn to the economy each year. According to Pasc, there are around 22,000 self-catering businesses in Wales. A recent survey of Welsh members found that almost half (47pc) of properties that pay council tax because they don't meet the 182-day requirement were operating at a loss. Pattinson believes the biggest mistake the Welsh government has made is to take a one-size-fits-all all approach to its policies. 'It's lazy policy-making. If I lived in Newport or Tenby, I probably wouldn't have to get out of bed to make 182 days, but I'm only four miles out of Newport and the numbers fall off almost like a cliff when you are not in those hotspots.' 'It's harming the Welsh economy' Julian Barnes, a retired glass manufacturer from Bodfari in Denbighshire, north Wales, is far away from the traditional tourism hotspots. 'The best we've ever managed was 127 days in the year after Covid.' He says the idea that his end-of-terrace cottage in the rural village home to 500 people will be let for 182 nights is a fantasy. 'They want to introduce a visitor levy, an EPC requirement, there's registration, employment rights, statutory licencing – a whole pile of things that are growing to make it more and more difficult to run what was a simple business that brought in a lot of trade to the village.' It means Barnes has resigned himself to paying double council tax on the property, which recently rose to a 150pc premium in April. 'The total bill is £4,956 for 42 sq m. The council tax premium for us means we are paying £118 a sq m in tax.' He says last year the cottage brought in £10,000 in revenue which left him and his wife, a retired midwife, with a £3,000 profit. This year, he expects they'll be lucky if they end up with £2,000 after their fixed costs rose by 25pc. He adds: 'That assumes we do all the cleaning, gardening and maintenance for free. We take at least five hours to turn the cottage around. If it was paid per hour, it would be around £1 an hour – you can forget your minimum wage. The Government talks about working people, well we are working people except we are working for basically nothing.' Barnes and his wife are planning to sell the cottage. He says: 'There are groups of us all over the country in dire straits with these businesses and it's harming the Welsh economy. 'One of the big attractions of our cottage is you can walk to the village pub. We reckon we bring about £10,000 worth of business to the pub each year. There are four of us in the village who have holiday lets. If we go, that's an awful lot of money for a rural business to lose.' 'I am absolutely trapped' But while some holiday let owners are deciding to get out, others who rely on it as their main source of income feel trapped. Nicki Robinson, 61, a former cattle farmer from Carmarthenshire, turned her old dairy into a holiday cottage in 2006 after her farming business was no longer financially viable. Almost 20 years later, she can see the same process happening again as her holiday let business struggles to stay afloat. 'I am absolutely trapped. 'If I don't achieve 182 days, the daft thing is you are not earning as much but you've then got to suddenly find an extra £3,000 to pay council tax. 'It's not because you are not trying. The cottages are up 365 days a year but we just can't achieve that level of occupancy because we are not near beaches, castles or other tourist attractions. It's simply clean accommodation with a rural outlook.' Robinson says it's not just government policy that has harmed the industry. 'When I started, I got so many of my bookings direct through the tourism office and I would have families come and stay for up to 10 days at a time. 'Now bookings come through online sites that take 25pc of the revenue and the stays are so much shorter. I recently had a run of stays where I did five changeovers in seven days. 'Rather than getting families, we are seen as an alternative to a budget hotel. Bookings come in at the last minute and people want to stay for one or two nights. 'In effect, I am working every day of the year for a job that pays less than minimum wage.' The Welsh government has said its policies against holiday let owners are designed to help local people get on the housing ladder but Robinson says this is completely misguided. 'I've got a 26-year-old son who is desperately trying to get on the property ladder. But you don't fix the lack of affordable social housing by trying to destroy the livelihoods of those who rely on tourism.'
BBC News
17-07-2025
- BBC News
Sandringham head gardener's home becomes holiday let
The former home of the head gardener at a royal estate is being offered as a holiday let - with a stately price tag six-bedroom Gardens House was once the residence of the head gardener on the Sandringham Estate, the Norfolk home of King Charles is being marketed as a holiday let "within the heart of Sandringham's royal grounds", with the cost starting from £4,110 per Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine, said the let was a sign that royal estates were "actively striving to bolster their revenue streams" and the house would appeal to "well healed Brits". The Gardens House joins another property on the Sandringham estate, called The Folly, as holiday homes available to the general public. The Sandringham Estate covers approximately 20,000 acres (8,100 hectares) with 600 acres (242 hectares) of gardens. The estate is a popular tourist destination with both the house and garden open to the the grounds is a working sawmill and organic farm - and a number of properties. 'The Gardens House sleeps eight people, has three bathrooms and is dog-friendly. The listing describes it as "once home to the Estate's head gardener, this handsome brick residence now offers guests a rare invitation to experience the grace and quiet rhythm of life on one of Britain's most storied country estates". Mr Little said royal estates had always had commercial offers but the way they were being presented had changed. "The way in which these properties are marketed is much more upfront these days, a consequence perhaps of the fairly recent change of ownership," he said. "Given the grandeur of The Folly, in particular, there is a heightened awareness that the privately owned royal estates are actively striving to bolster their revenue streams."Sandringham is not the first royal residence to rent out property to holidaymakers, with eight cottages and lodges available for hire at Balmoral Castle, is stated on the Balmoral website that "some cottages are not available for rent for certain dates during the Royal Family's visit". Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Seaside home on English Riviera could be yours for just £1 - but it does come with a catch
Your pocket change could buy you a seaside home on the English Riviera which has gone on the market for just £1 - but it does come with a catch. The two-bedroom apartment in Paignton, Devon - aptly named Sea Breeze - is only one minute away from the town's famous sea front. But whoever snaps up the cheap-as-chips summer bolt hole will have to be willing to accept the home needs a lot of work. Sea Breeze looks like a building site on the inside and is unfurnished as it has recently been refurbished and is in the final stages of second fix. It could be transformed into a dream home by the beach if the buyer is happy to get the finishing touches done. Sean Roper, of South Wales based Paul Fosh Auctions, said: 'This really is an opportunity not to be missed. 'If you're in the market for a seaside bolt hole or holiday let in one of England's red hot holiday spots then this chic apartment could well fit the bill. 'Sea Breeze, on Hyde Road, Paignton, is a ground floor apartment complete with open plan kitchen and living area with two bedrooms and bathroom. 'And if the beach is just a bit too sandy or it's too hot then there is a restful rear garden in which to recline and soak up the summer sunshine in peaceful Paignton.' He added: 'The property has been recently refurbished and is at final stages of second fix. 'The kitchen is already supplied and in the property. It requires skimming and painting before being ready to enjoy or let out or sell on the open market. 'This a great opportunity for an investor which won't break the bank in terms of expenditure to complete the refurbishment of the apartment. 'As serviced accommodation or as a holiday let, a well-furnished to a high standard apartment the Paignton property could well generate a rent of around £35,000 per annum on a short stay basis. 'If a long term let is considered with the property refurbished to a similar high standard it is going to command a monthly rental in the region of £900- £1,000 p.m.' Sea Breeze, along with some eighty other lots, is being offered for sale online at Paul Fosh Auctions which starts from 12 noon on Tuesday, July 29 and ends from 5pm on Thursday July 31.
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Britain's CHEAPEST house boasting two bedrooms in popular seaside town could be yours for just £1
A HOME in the world famous English Riviera has hit the market and could be yours for as little as £1. Sea Breeze, in Paignton, Devon, is a two-bedroom apartment for sale just a few minutes from the town's sea front. 5 5 The property is being auctioned off and has been listed with a guide price of just £1. Described as a 'fixer upper' the small property would need a lot of work to turn it into the dream home. Britain's cheapest home is being auctioned off by South Wales based Paul Fosh Auctions. Sea Breeze is being sold off as part of an online auction along with eighty other lots. Hopeful house hunters looking to grab a bargain would need to act quick though. Bidding is due to commence at 12 noon on Tuesday, July 29 and will end at 5pm on Thursday July31. Once bidding closes the opportunity to buy the property for pennies will be lost. The property offers plenty of space with a rear garden and open plan kitchen. It can be viewed online with Paul Fosh Auctions also offering the chance for prospective buyers to view it in person. A viewing of the cheap home can be booked online through the property auctioneers. The family home with 'huge potential' that's one of Ireland's cheapest on market for €65k - but prepare for the inside An employee, Sean Roper, said: "This really is an opportunity not to be missed. ''If you're in the market for a seaside bolt hole or holiday let in one of England's red hot holiday spots then this chic apartment could well fit the bill. 'Sea Breeze, on Hyde Road, Paignton, is a ground floor apartment complete with open plan kitchen and living area with two bedrooms and bathroom. 'And if the beach is just a bit too sandy or it's too hot then there is a restful rear garden in which to recline and soak up the summer sunshine in peaceful Paignton.' 5 5 Sean added: 'The property has been recently refurbished and is at final stages of second fix. 'The kitchen is already supplied and in the property. It requires skimming and painting before being ready to enjoy or let out or sell on the open market. 'This a great opportunity for an investor which won't break the bank in terms of expenditure to complete the refurbishment of the apartment. 'As serviced accommodation or as a holiday let, a well-furnished to a high standard apartment the Paignton property could well generate a rent of around £35,000 per annum on a short stay basis. 'If a long term let is considered with the property refurbished to a similar high standard it is going to command a monthly rental in the region of £900- £1,000 p.m." Four cheap home renovation tricks YOU don't have to spend loads to give a room a new look. Here are five other home renovation tricks you can try. Kitchen cupboards One way to give your kitchen a complete transformation for less is to change the look of the kitchen cupboards. There are loads of different vinyl coverings out there to choose from, and it's a quick and easy way to update your home. Handles Another thing you can try that won't break the bank is to change up the handles. You can pick up relatively cheap handles in DIY stores, or even in the charity shop. Adding new ones to your kitchen cupboards, or doors in your house, can be extremely effective. Leftovers Most of us have old half-used tins of paint in the garage, but they're often forgotten about. However, there may be enough in the pot to paint a feature wall in another room, and you won't have to spend a penny. Freebies It's worth checking your local Facebook Marketplace, or Freecycle, to see what other people are getting rid of. As they say, one person's trash is another person's treasure. And if someone's planning to revamp a room, they might want to get rid of a sofa, or a coffee table, which you could use to give a lounge a new look.
