Most owners start out with good intentions. They furnish the property nicely, put a listing online and wait for bookings. After a few months, the income turns out lower than expected, or the management takes much more time than they thought.
Often the cause does not lie with the property itself, but with a few avoidable mistakes. The good news is that they can all be fixed. The autumn, with slightly less going on, is a good moment to tackle them. Below you will find ten mistakes that come up often, each with the solution.
1. One price for the whole year
Many owners choose one price per night and leave it at that. It is simple, but it costs money. In busy weeks you let too cheaply. In quiet weeks the property stays empty because the price is too high.
The solution: let your price move with demand. At the very least, work with separate prices for high season, mid-season and low season. Distinguish between weekend and midweek. Take school holidays, public holidays and local events into account. If you want to do even better, adjust the price per day based on what the market is doing.
2. Calendars that are not synchronised
If you advertise on several platforms, you run the risk of double bookings. One guest books through Airbnb, another guest books the same nights through Booking.com. You have to cancel one of them. That makes for a bad experience and often a penalty from the platform too.
The solution: link your calendars. Use a system that keeps track of all bookings centrally and passes them on to every platform immediately. Block your own stays and maintenance days in one place, so that they appear everywhere at the same time.
3. A weak first photo
The first photo determines whether someone clicks on your listing. Yet many owners choose a dark photo of the façade or a random room. In a long list of search results, that does not stand out.
The solution: choose the strongest image of your property as the first photo. That is often a bright living area, a beautiful view or a well-kept bedroom. Have the photos taken in daylight, with tidy rooms and made beds. Invest in a professional photographer if your current photos were taken with a phone.
4. Promising too much in the listing
A listing that presents the property as nicer than it is may bring in more bookings. But guests who arrive disappointed write critical reviews. A "sea view" that is only visible from the balcony if you lean forward, or "five minutes from the beach" that turns out to be fifteen.
The solution: be honest and precise. Describe what guests can really expect. Also mention the weaker points, such as a steep staircase or limited parking. Guests appreciate honesty, and an expectation that matches reality leads to better reviews.
5. Cheap mattresses
A mattress is one of the things owners economise on. It seems a logical choice: guests only stay a few nights. Yet sleeping badly is one of the most common complaints in reviews.
The solution: invest in good mattresses, pillows and duvets. Use mattress protectors to make them last longer. Check them regularly and replace them in good time. A guest who has slept well starts the day in a better mood and writes a better review.
6. No local help
Many owners do not live near their holiday home. As long as everything goes well, that is not a problem. But a blocked drain on a Saturday evening, a guest who cannot find the key or heating that fails: then you need someone who can be on site quickly.
The solution: arrange a local backup in advance. Someone who has a key, knows the property and can step in. Also draw up a list of regular tradespeople: a plumber, an electrician, a heating engineer. Consider a smart lock with its own code per stay, so that key problems disappear.
7. Slow replies
Guests expect quick responses, before and during their stay. If you only reply after half a day, you lose bookings to a faster competitor. Platforms also keep track of how quickly you reply, and that can affect your visibility.
The solution: make sure messages are answered quickly, including in the evening and at weekends. Prepare standard answers to frequently asked questions: arrival times, parking, wifi, pets. Automatically send a message with arrival information a few days before the stay. Answer guests in their own language if you can.
8. Ignoring reviews
Some owners do not read their reviews, or never respond to them. As a result, they miss useful feedback and a chance to show that they are involved.
The solution: read every review and respond briefly and kindly. Thank guests for positive reviews. Respond to criticism without getting defensive: acknowledge the point and explain what you have done about it. Also keep track of which comments recur. If three guests mention that the bed is too hard, that is a signal.
9. Forgetting registration and insurance
In Flanders, you must register your holiday home with Toerisme Vlaanderen (Visit Flanders' tourism authority) before the first guests arrive. The registration number must appear in every listing. You also need a fire safety certificate A or B, which you apply for through the municipality. Many owners only arrange this once someone points it out to them.
The same goes for insurance. An ordinary home insurance policy often does not cover holiday letting. Third-party liability insurance towards guests is necessary.
The solution: check your registration, your certificate and your insurance now. Ask your municipality whether local rules apply, as in Ghent, Antwerp and some coastal municipalities. Tell your insurer explicitly that you let to tourists.
10. No view of the costs per stay
Many owners only look at their income. But every stay brings costs: cleaning, linen, energy, platform fees, tourist tax, wear and tear. If you do not keep track of those, you do not know whether a short one-night booking actually earns anything.
The solution: keep track of what each stay costs. Make a simple monthly overview with income and expenses per property. That way you see which bookings are profitable and where you need to adjust your minimum stay or cleaning fee. Discuss the figures with your accountant, especially for the tax side.
A good basis for the new year
No owner avoids every mistake. The difference lies in how quickly you notice and fix them. Go through this list in the quiet weeks of autumn and tackle one or two points at a time.
YourDomi helps owners with many of these points: daily pricing based on market data, communication with guests seven days a week, our own cleaning team with a fixed checklist and photo check, smart locks and a monthly overview per property. If you would like to know where your property can still grow, request a personal proposal.
