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Smart Utility Monitoring & Billing

 

Concerned about your self-catering property energy bills?

As an owner rising energy costs and their impact on your rental income have likely become a concern in recent years. Increasing rental rates to cover rising energy costs is often to the detriment of occupancy levels. At Unique Cottages, we have come up with an alternative approach, a smarter and fairer way of ensuring you are not out of pocket for excessive energy usage.
Our energy management system has been specifically designed for the short-term letting market to revolutionize the consumption and management of utilities at your property.

Does your holiday property have a smart meter?

Smart meters are being rolled out across the UK and are supporting householders to control their energy spend by giving real-time information about their energy consumption in their own homes. Why shouldn’t the same technology be used to support holiday-makers to do the same?

Unique Cottages has developed software that does exactly that – utilising smart meter readings, our energy management system provides fair transparent billing so guests can enjoy the peace of mind that they are only paying for the energy they use while you as an owner can rest assured that you won’t be out of pocket if there is excessive usage.

No smart meter? No problem!

Your energy supplier may not yet have installed at smart meter at your property, but this doesn’t mean you can’t also advantage of the benefits of our energy management system. We can provide you with an inexpensive & easy to install Meter Interface which will provide you with the same data, knowledge and control as if you already had a smart meter in situ.

How does it work?

You have enough to think about as a holiday cottage owner, so our energy management system is fully automated. After a simple set-up, guest alerts and billing are all taken care of for you. Working seamlessly with the booking engine of your choice, guest information is securely passed to the energy management system ensuring that personal data is dealt with appropriately. Following the end of their holiday, guests are provided with details of their energy Ausage, a breakdown of costs, and a quick & easy way to pay directly to your bank account.

Do I have to charge my guests?

It's up to you if you choose to charge your guests. Our energy management system gives you the flexibility to just monitor costs, to set up an ‘included’ amount (and only charge for excessive usage) or to pass all utility costs directly on to the guests. We know each cottage is unique so our system can cater to all. Whether you choose to charge or not, our system accurately reflects each party's consumption, fostering trust and transparency. We believe this not only exactly what the self-catering industry in the UK needs but is exactly what the planet needs as well! Our system encourages energy-efficient usage, contributing to a greener, more sustainable holiday experience and a healthier planet.

Benefits

  • Increased energy efficiency, cost savings, and a boost to property appeal
  • Hassle-free remote monitoring and real-time usage insights
  • Accurate data on energy usage to support understanding of seasonal energy usage patterns
  • Fully security and privacy compliance built keeping customer data safe
  • Utilise Smart Meter technology to reduce your energy costs whether your property has a smart meter already installed or not.
Find Your Holiday

Dress for Success

 

We have been noticing more and more the impact the way a property is dressed can have on booking levels and guest feedback. Guests' expectations have risen significantly in recent years and they are now looking for accommodation that is a step up from their own homes.

With this in mind we have put together some general guidance on how you can dress your cottage to make it appeal to as big a market as possible, as even small changes can have a big impact on bookings. We have also teamed up with a third-party and can now offer a specialist design service to owners that would like further assistance with this.

    A mainly neutral colour scheme appeals to most people and you can still add splashes of colour/personality through your soft furnishings and accessories. This also means that you don’t have to repaint walls or replace expensive items of furniture (such as sofas) in order to give the room a new look. Another simple way of adding colour to a room is having a painted or wall-papered feature wall. This is easily touched up or changed and is cheaper than repainting the whole room.

    Sitting Rooms

    Soft furnishings such as cushions and throws can really tie a room’s colour scheme together and help you add a personal touch. They also help to give a warmer more comfy feeling to sitting rooms, especially when you have leather sofas. They can also be changed easily should you decide to change your room’s colour scheme.

    Rugs can help protect your carpet from excessive wear in high traffic areas – after all, it is much cheaper to replace a rug than an entire carpet. In wooden floored rooms they also help provide warmth and a cosy, comfortable feeling. Lighting can help to create atmosphere in a room. Try adding lamps as well as a main ceiling light, so that people have a choice of which they would prefer depending on what they are doing - from reading and watching TV to playing board games and napping.

    You can see how much of an impact furnishings can have in the before and after below:

     

     

    Kitchens

    Kitchens should be well-stocked with matching crockery, cutlery and utensils. It is essential to have a dining area, even if it is one that can be folded away and there should be sufficient chairs and space for all of your guests to dine together.

    Bedrooms

    Bedrooms can again be kept neutral, with colour and texture provided by cushions, curtains, accessories and bed throws. These give a luxury feel to the room and throws also provide extra warmth. There should be a bedside table and lamp for each bed, as well as drawers and hanging space for clothes. It is advisable to provide a dressing table or an area with a power point and a mirror so that people can blow dry their hair. Bedding and mattresses should be fire retardant and mattress/pillow protectors are recommended for hygiene purposes. It is also worth considering black-out curtains/blinds to stop the light streaming in.

    Bathrooms

    Bathrooms should be clean and well presented with minimal accessories and should ideally have matching towels. Monochrome (black and white, or black and cream) can work well in bathrooms, perhaps with a splash of colour to keep it feeling warm and inviting.

      Conservatories/Outside Space

      It is important to make use of whatever outdoor space you have with seating, a BBQ, etc. Even small terraces and patios can be made to look much more inviting with garden furniture. It is also key to make sure that the grass and any hedges are neat and well maintained.

      Dressing your property well can help encourage guests to book with you and some of the thoughtful touches we have suggested can help make them want to come back again and again. It may also reduce complaints.

      If you would like any advice on dressing your property, or are interested in the specialist design service that we now offer with a third-party provider, please contact our property team: