Marsdens, the company

Marsdens Cottage Holidays has a portfolio of over 300 properties from Hartland on the Devon and Cornwall border to Porlock in Somerset – the largest selection of VisitBritain-inspected holiday cottages in the West Country.

Originally started in Croyde more than 35 years ago, Marsdens is now based in Braunton and owned by Richard and Lesley Ellis. The company is proud of its reputation for providing first-class service. All our staff live locally and have unrivalled knowledge of the area – their attention to detail has helped build long relationships with both homeowners and holidaymakers, many of whom return to do business with us year after year.

While retaining its local roots with a Devon office run by General Manager Martin Wickham, Marsdens showcases its properties on a national scale, and is always looking for new ways to promote our region and your holiday home.

Part of Marsdens’ ongoing pledge to homeowners is that we will always be proactive in marketing your property, with seasonal and one-off promotions high on our list of revenue-maximising initiatives.

In-depth descriptions of our properties and the places in which they're located make the Marsdens Cottage Holidays brochure essential reading for anyone planning a holiday in the West Country. Boasting beautiful photography and professional production values, more than 20,000 copies of the brochure are published each autumn. It is also available in digital form via our website.

Marsdens was one of the first agencies in the UK to support a website – it's been running for over nine years and today offers more than 50,000 unique users each month the opportunity to check cottage availability and make bookings online. More than 140 different domain names also feed into our website, providing an exceptionally high level of focussed traffic.

Quality assured

Marsdens has for many years been a keen supporter of the VisitBritain national assessment scheme and is now the largest agency in the West Country with all of its properties inspected annually by an independent assessor and graded from one to five stars depending on quality. This scheme gives holidaymakers an assurance that properties will match or exceed their expectations.

The quality and standards of our cottages are much appreciated and commented upon by visitors and we are proud that over 55% of those who make bookings with us are either acting on recommendation or returning for yet another holiday with Marsdens.

Marketing and PR

Our advertising and marketing budget increases each year as we explore new media and new ways of reaching our target market. We have known for many years that advertising results and responses change frequently, and a comprehensive and accurate monitoring system ensures that we spot new trends and react quickly, enabling us to adjust our campaign whenever necessary.

Our national advertising includes:

The Times

Sunday Times

Mail on Sunday

Saturday Mail

Guardian

Specialist magazines

National Trust

RSPB

We have also been featured in The Good Holiday Cottage Guide for 22 consecutive years.

In 2009 we appointed a PR agency, Fox Vincent Media, to maximise national and international media opportunities for us. Fox Vincent Media has already secured excellent editorial coverage for Marsdens Cottage Holidays in publications including The Times, The Lady magazine and the News of the World.

Local media relations are handled by our own in-house PR and marketing specialists, whose regular tasks also include writing and mailing monthly e-newsletters to a database of just under 7,000 people who have either enquired about or booked a holiday property with us in the last three years. We can track the results of these mailings and we know that they trigger new bookings. Together with regular updates to our Facebook and Twitter pages, these e-newsletters are a great way for us to advertise late deals and tell people about the attractions and events they can enjoy during their holiday in North Devon.

We don't just want to wait for people to come to us – in 2009 Marsdens exhibited for the first time at the Royal Cornwall Show and the North Devon Show. Again, there is compelling evidence that attendance at events like these raises our profile, adds names and addresses to our database and boosts bookings. Look out for us at both events in 2010!

The Marsdens team

Aside from a superb selection of holiday cottages, one of Marsdens’ huge strengths is its staff, all of whom live locally and have unrivalled knowledge of the area.

They are:

Janet Holland - Reservations Team Leader

Carrianne Evans - Reservations Consultant

Sarah Bowden - Reservations Consultant

Kate Baber - Reservations Consultant

Gloria O'Connell - Property Co-ordinator

Karen Ryan - Property Manager

Arlene Collins - Customer Services Manager

Martin Wickham - General Manager

Feel free to call in at the Braunton office to say hello!

Financial details

Subject to certain conditions, the Inland Revenue considers the income from holiday lettings as earned income, as this is a business activity. This can have considerable tax advantages, as interest on any mortgage or loan used to purchase a property can be offset against income and, in some cases, any loss that accrues can be offset against other earned income. We will be pleased to put you in touch with local accountants experienced in this area of holiday home taxation who will be able to give you professional advice.

We make regular monthly payments to owners at the beginning of each month for bookings that have taken place in the preceding month. Once a booking has been confirmed to you, you will receive payment even if it is subsequently cancelled. We do not make any deduction from this payment with the exception of our normal commission and VAT.

Here to help

Our experience of letting hundreds of properties and tens of thousands of holidays enables us to take a wider view of the market. We are happy to advise on the suitability of properties that are being considered for purchase, provide income projections and guide you towards the correct property. Our advice is free, but hopefully invaluable!

Our contracts with owners are annual. We know that we are only as good as last year’s lets and we want you to purchase a property which will provide the income you require. Many factors make a good holiday cottage – location, position, appearance, garden, views and accessibility are all factors to consider before even thinking about the interior of a property. What initially appears to be a daunting task can often be extremely rewarding and provide a sound investment. Many owners use their holiday home as a pension investment.

After our initial visit and consultation we will prepare a report detailing the correct price band for your property and the anticipated number of weeks that we will be able to achieve bookings, which in turn will produce a net income figure. Once our proposals have been discussed and accepted, a contract will be signed between us and we will then prepare property details for insertion in our brochure and on our website. As soon as this is approved by you we will start marketing your property and take bookings.

Initially, the furnishing and equipping of a property can appear a formidable task, but we are happy to advise on the most suitable types of furnishing and also where they can be obtained. Sometimes it is the simplest of styles that are the most effective and economic. We know, from personal contact plus feedback on our Customer Service Questionnaires (CSQ), that one of the reasons people come back to Marsdens when making their holiday choice is that they are confident in our ability to provide a well maintained property with a conscientious housekeeper. A housekeeper is one of the most crucial assets in your property investment and here, too, we have a wide range of contacts which enable us to help you find the most suitable person.

Insurance

It is imperative that your property is fully insured, together with the contents. Some insurers will not provide cover on let properties, but we have access to reputable insurance brokers who can provide substantial cover – including £2 million public liability – and offer preferential rates to Marsdens’ homeowners. Please click one of these links for information: www.ravensdale.co.uk www.boshers.co.uk.

We also hold contact details for reliable local tradesmen, plumbers, electricians, heating engineers, decorators, carpenters and carpet layers who are used to dealing with holiday properties and provide excellent service at very reasonable rates.

For a copy of our comprehensive owner’s pack – which includes our highly acclaimed brochure, an owner's handbook with extensive advice on the setting up and letting of a holiday cottage and further information on taxation, consumer legislation and a full inventory that is required in each property – please contact us by email, phone (01271 813777), fax (01271 813664) or by completing our online form.