On the back of good weather last year – England and Wales had the warmest spring since records began in 1659 – the number of domestic trips increased by an estimated 4.7% to 58.5 million, according to new research, while expenditure is estimated to have risen by 6.2% to £14.1 billion.
Fergal McGivney, senior travel analyst at Mintel, which produced the British Lifestyles report, has predicted a “slight reduction in the growth of overseas trips as some consumers opt for staycations” this year, because of the subdued growth in wages and continued Brexit uncertainty. Meanwhile, tourism chiefs at ABTA have reported that the Norfolk Broads, the West Country and the Cotswolds are proving to be popular destinations for domestic holidaymakers.
At Together, we are seeing professional landlords, who may have previously operated traditional buy-to-let properties, are now considering holiday lets as a viable option, following a raft of tax and regulatory changes which don’t apply to furnished holiday cottages, meaning they can achieve attractive rental yields.
Unlike standard buy-to-lets, holiday lets have to be managed for regular visitors and therefore, there may be higher costs, such as paying for a weekly cleaner or managing agents’ fees, so these are things that investors should consider.
To support landlords seeking to maximise their yields in this way, Together can provide holiday let finance, available on first and second charge loans, for investors looking to purchase a property or remortgage, with a maximum loan-to-value of 65%.
We will also consider landing to borrowers using non-standard properties as security and to a broad range of customers, including limited companies, sole traders, self-employed, expats or those who may have an adverse credit history.
It’s clear that, despite the dramatic changes to the buy-to-let landscape over the past few years, holiday lets could prove a more attractive opportunity than traditional buy-to-let properties, while allowing investors to tap in to the UK’s tourism boom.
