How to Make Your Holiday Let More Eco Friendly

    With World Earth Day just two weeks away, and its theme focused on reducing plastic pollution across the globe, we look at ways that property owners can make their holidays homes more eco friendly and energy efficient whilst saving money too. The...

    by Pass the Keys

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    Airbnb Tips

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    13 Apr 2018

    With World Earth Day just two weeks away, and its theme focused on reducing plastic pollution across the globe, we look at ways that property owners can make their holidays homes more eco friendly and energy efficient whilst saving money too.

    The Earth Day Network published a toolkit last month designed to increase public awareness of plastic pollution. A report from the BBC, showed that of all the 8.3 billion (metric) tonnes of plastic produced to date, a mere 9% has been recycled. In light of the upcoming Earth Day, here are some great ways to help save the planet by making your holiday let more eco friendly.

    1. Energy Efficient Lighting and Appliances

    Energy efficient lighting and other home appliances use substantially less energy around the home, meaning that you could save hundreds of pounds on your electricity bills. Energy efficient light bulbs have a longer lifetime than older versions, meaning you will not have to replace them as much - great news for hosts who cannot visit their properties very frequently.

    A study conducted by CleanTech Group for Airbnb properties in 2014, found that 79% of Airbnb hosts owned at least one energy efficient appliance in their property. This means guests are more likely to stay at Airbnb and holiday homes as they are more energy efficient than staying in hotels. These kinds of products are becoming more and more popular, and far more accessible across the market.

    2. Faucet Aerators in Bathrooms and Kitchens

    Faucet aerators mix the water from the tap with air, meaning that you end up using less water. These are fairly cheap and prevent splashing too, helping to control water usage in your property when you are not on sight. There are similar products that fit into toilet cisterns which can also reduce the quantity of water they flush.

    3. Provide Public Transportation Information

    A lot of holiday makers choose to use public transport when staying at an Airbnb or holiday let property, in fact CleanTech Group found it was 10-15% of guests were more likely to use it than hotel guests. Pass the Keys ensure that our property listings display public transportation information when travellers book, and that this information is widely available to our guests.

    An additional amenity that guests appreciate is the provision of bicycles for their stay, this allows them to explore the area plus it is a healthy, eco-friendly method of transport. If you are based in London, make sure guests are aware that Santander bikes can be used for free for the first 30 minutes of cycling.

    4. Provide Reusable Shopping Bags

    The great thing about holiday lets and Airbnb properties is that guests have the option to cook meals in their own space rather than spending money on restaurant dining. You can help them out by providing grocery or shopping bags, plastic or cotton, to prevent them from buying plastic bags when food shopping.

    Make your guests aware of where to find them by listing them in your documentation when they arrive, or tell your property management company to inform them.

    5. Use Cellular or Honeycomb Blinds

    Window furnishing options such as cellular and honeycomb blinds help to filter or block light, and insulate windows to save energy on heating. The unique shape of the cellular shade hold trapped air, creating a barrier between the window pane and the room.

    Besides this, these blinds also provide more privacy by helping to block light, so guests can control the amount of light entering the room.

    6. Provide Recycling Options

    Most city councils provide recycling, food waste, and landfill bins, in order to reduce the amount of waste to landfill. At Pass the Keys, we ask our hosts to provide recycling information for their property; always make sure you have the correct recycling bins and information for bin collection so that your guests can recycle their waste. Figures show that the majority of guests will recycle when they can, up to 94% of guests have reported that they recycle when possible. If you have a garden at your property, why not use a compost bin for food waste?

    7. Add Solar Panels or other Renewable Technology

    Solar panels are certainly an investment piece but a very helpful addition. The disadvantage of short-term letting is that you cannot limit the energy usage of your guests. With solar panelling, you are able to be fully energy sufficient and independent to the point you may be able to reduce your net electricity bill to a value of zero.

    The even better news is that if you end up producing more energy than your guests actually use (a high possibility, given your guests are exploring the local area for most of the day), you can actually sell the energy you aren’t using back to the National Grid through a scheme known as Feed in Tariff. This scheme is also applicable with other renewable energy technologies, such as wind turbines. To find out more about this scheme and how to apply, you can check out the government website here for more information.

    These steps to making your holiday rental more eco friendly can help to not only save the planet, and save you money, but also help to boost your bookings. More and more guests are likely to choose environmentally friendly properties to stay in and with Earth Day just around the corner, there has never been a better time to go green.

    Pass the Keys is a short term lettings management company, designed to let you relax as we manage your holiday let, by optimising your occupancy rate and rental income. Pass the Keys gives property owners peace of mind using bespoke technology to establish the optimum rental price; the app allows property owners to track their profit and manage guest bookings from the comfort of their own home. Find out how much you could make here with the UK’s leading short letting management company.

    Learn more about how our hosts boost their income via short letting and other tips about Airbnb and short letting.

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