This sounds dodgy - Self Catering Apartments?

AFK_Matrix

Hi,

I was just browsing rightmove as you do lol, and I came across these type of flats for rent:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-33093004.html

Now first off what does POA mean?

And also isn't this a very dangerous and dodgy setup if there is no deposit or contract? It says you can stay there from 2 weeks to 1 year so what happens at the end of a year and the tenant has destroyed the place and there is no contract and probably no inventory either?

Just curious really as I have never seen these types of rent before.

youngie

Poa used to mean price on application

Joyful

We have these in Edinburgh http://www.globekey.com/reserve.php. The prices I have just looked at range from £86 to £113 per night! I think they are more for short stays.

pinkteapot

Not dodgy at all. There's loads of these in London to cater for business-people.

The shortest 'normal' tenancy (AST) you can do is six months. These type of places offer 'short lets', usually by the night. They're likely to work out expensive compared to renting on a normal tenancy. They're really designed for short-term stays.

Due to how expensive they normally work out, it's unlikely to attract the type of people who'll trash a place. Though the fact they might is built into the price so effectively you are paying a deposit, just one you won't get back.

They are pretty much like living in a self-catering holiday apartment.

More info here:

http://www.knightfrank.co.uk/lettings/short-lets/tenants-guide-to-short-lets.aspx

AFK_Matrix

Ok thanks for the info, was wondering how they covered themselves.

bobthedambuilder

I've often stayed in these sorts of places when working away from home. Upside is the shortness of the periods available as against normal lets. They are also commonly "serviced" which means weekly changing of bedding, towels etc and some cleaning. All the usual utilities (except telephone) would be included. Downside is the price, usually considerably more expensive. Consider them as a halfway house between hotel accommodation and conventional renting. You don't normally do an inventory (neither do you in a hotel), but you'll be paying for them by some sort of chargeable medium, and like a hotel, they would probably add any significant damage onto your bill.

Werdnal

No experience of them myself, but my guess is they take payment by credit/debit card, and any checkout damage would be charged to that card, so they would sting you for it anyway.

I have stayed in self-catering holiday accommodation before, and they sometimes insist on credit card when booking for the same reason. Some hotels/guest houses do the similar.

knightstyle

We have let our UK house like this in the past, worked well for us, business people, engineers, archeologists and more, never had any problems or damage. House had internet, electric and gas included plus was cleaned, towels provided all inclusive.

abankerbutnotafatcat

As others have said, I don't think it's dodgy - it fills a certain need as stated.

I've actually had some experience of this company. 18 months ago I contacted them regarding their property in Redhill (Maple something from memory) after seeing their many advertised properties in this building on Rightmove. After several emails and phone calls over a two week period without response (very annoying!!) I was finally told that they didn't have any current or known future availablity in Redhill, but did have in Crawley so you might have more luck.

propertyman

If you are going on holiday in the western world and city locations they are often cheaper and better suited for a long break than a hotel.

Yes you have to make your own bed but for a lot less than a suite you can stay in and sit on a proper couch and eat at a table and put the kettle on rather than call room service.

CKhalvashi

We’ve got a BTL in W3 that we do this through (used to be our home)

I spend about 2 hours on it between visits, and it fetches us £1000/week with car included (a ’52’ Galaxy that was on the company fleet, and actually one of mine!). No scan of DL beforehand = no car keys!

We’re averaging about 45 weeks each year, so even after expenses about double a standard let, however as you would imagine, use is heavy and we’re paying bills/CT ourselves. I have charged damage at cost + £75/hr (to sort it myself), so it’s similar to a hotel.

CK