Lying at the top of the stairs................

…................Watching Ann work.


We are trying to get our house in St Ives ready for 'letting out to holiday makers' while we are in Edinburgh for the winter. Even though Ann worked in a holiday letting agents for 10 years and her main job was auditing holiday let properties to ensure they were up to 'Visit Britain' standards (so she feels she knows more than the general Joe Bloggs about what should be provided), it is still very difficult to turn a much loved home into a holiday let.


All the little 'niggly things', that one just lives with, have to be sorted out because you can guarantee if they're not; the holiday makers will demand compensation.


The only 'little niggly thing' left to sort out now is the 'washer/dryer'. The 'dryer' part of the 'washer/dryer' does not work properly. It trips all the electrics for some reason. Doesn't bother us because we dry everything on the washing line on the sun terrace and we also have a pulley in the kitchen. And as we're only advertising the property as having a washing machine (& not a dryer), it shouldn't affect any holiday makers either. Obviously in the very detailed information folder, that will be left in the property; it will state this. …..............But holiday makers don't read information folders – so we are going to have to put a HUGE sign on the washing machine, which quite frankly will spoil the look of the kitchen.


And also............................ What is really irritating; is people who do not understand the whole concept of renting a home to holiday makers and then try to tell one what to do?!!! Sorry................ Feel a bit of a rant coming on........................


….........................Everyone; ie people who do not have a clue about what holiday letting a property entails; keep telling us that we could make a fortune by renting out our lovely house in St Ives. Holiday letting a property is not a case of just 'moving out and renting it to someone for a big fat fee!' …...........Get real people – Do you really think in this day and age a house can be rented out without putting numerous 'H&S and other checks' in place???


Ann had a conversation with a friend a couple of weeks ago who tried to tell her that the best thing she could do was buy a decent sofa bed we've already got a decent sofa bed so that we could rent out our house to more people??? We do not want to rent out our home to more than 2 people. (It is a two bedroomed property and all our personal stuff is going to be locked in one of the bedrooms.)


It's our home. It would be nice if we could make a little bit of extra cash while we're in Edinburgh but renting out one's home is not as easy as everyone seems to think. And we certainly won't be renting it out just for one night as a one night booking would hardly even cover the cleaning and laundry charges, let alone all the other overheads, plus the wear and tear. And the more people you have in the more wear and tear the property gets.


Yes......................... we have a lovely home in St Ives............................ And yes we are going to try and rent it out (but only for 2 people)............................ And yes we are going to market it as 'doggie friendly' at no extra charge...........................


….............BUT is it going to turn us into a millionaire.............................

…...................Of course it won't.


OK rant over.


Happy Tuesday Evening Peeps, xxx



PS – Will be adding a link to our booking site soon and if any of you lovely Blippers want a stay in St Ives before Christmas I will give you a 20% discount.