Requirements General
Would we like to stay in the cottage ourselves?
Please remember that competition within the self-catering market is now more intense, the better you equip your property, the more likely you are to have people coming back.
The bottom line is a quality property will generally give far better returns on the capital invested, and this is ultimately what we all want.
A useful room by room list to help you set up and equip your property
Living room
- Comfortable seating for each person (including children) stated as per occupancy
- Occasional table with coasters
- Books, maps of the area, puzzles, playing cards and DVDs
- LCD TVs and DVDs
- Visitors book
- Heating, attractive electric fire for summer use
- If an open fire is available, you will need tools to go with it, plus a spark guard, coal bucket and ash bucket
- Log basket if used
Dining Room
- Table and chairs for each person, stated as per occupancy in the brochure. Two tablecloths or placemats for each person, plus extra for hot dishes.
Bathroom
- Wash basin
- Toilet
- Bath or shower or, better still, both
- Shaver point
- A heated towel rail is a good idea, as very often in small Lakeland cottages, there is not enough room to put a heater in as well. Failing this, a good quality wooden towel rail is better than the cheap plastic ones (plastic tends to break easily, costing more over a period of time).
- Toilet brush and holder
- Hooks on the backs of doors, for dressing gowns etc.
- Toilet paper holder
- Small seat if at all possible
- Plastic beaker for brushes
- Covered bin
Bedrooms
- Beds with headboards
- Man made fibre duvets (some people are allergic to feathers) with a 13 or 13.5 Tog rating
- Two pillows per person, as stated in brochure (non-feather)
- One under pillowcas3e per pillow & one mattress cover per mattress
- Two duvet covers per duvet and two matching pillowcases per pillow
- Two sheets per bed. It always looks so much better if all the bedding and curtains, where possible, can be co-ordinated
- Wardrobe
- Coat hangers (6 per person)
- Mirror
- Dressing table where possible, or chest of drawers
- Table lights or over bed lights
- Hooks on door backs
- Small bedroom chair, whenever possible
- Metal wastepaper bin
Kitchen
When setting up a kitchen, please remember that all kinds of different people will be using this facility, whilst you yourself may be very careful, others may not. The kitchen is the one place in the house which gets most wear and tear. When purchasing your main kitchen equipment (cooker, kettle, etc.), buy the best you can and keep it simple so that it is easy to use and clean.
If you are starting from scratch, please bear in mind that built in appliances:
a) look better
b) are easier to clean
c) generally take up less space
Gas or electric cooker, with oven and grill, all clean and functional. With an electric cooker we recommend you get a solid hob, not ceramic.
- Fridge/Freezer (separate or together)
- Dishwasher (increasingly important selling point)
- Washer/Dryer
- Storage space for crockery
- Cutlery box or divided drawwer
- Storage space for other kitchen and cleaning equipment
- Hygienic storage space for food
- Easy to clean hygienic working space
- Appropriate levels of lighting with shades on all lights
- An opening window or approved ventilation system
- A toaster
- Coffee percolator
- Electric kettle
- A waste bin with a lid
- A fire blanket or fire extinguisher, suitable for kitchen fires
- At least three pans with lids, small medium and large, for up to 5 people. Extra and /or larger pans as needed for more than 5 people.
- Frying pan
- Stainless steel tea pot
- Milk jug
- Sugar basin
- Butter dish
- Pie dish
- Two vegetable dishes
- Mixing bowl
- Fruit bowl
- Colander
- Bread bin
- Toast rack
- Condiment set
- Bread knife
- Bread chopping board
- Sharp vegetable / cooking knife
- Can opener (good quality)
- Bottle opener or corkscrew
- Carving knife and fork
- Potato peeler
- Whisk
- Grater
- Ladle
- Potato masher
- Wooden cooking spoon
- Oven roasting tin
- Water jug
- Rolling pin
- Tea strainer
- Baking tin
- Measuring jug
- Carving (meat) dish
- Tray
- Two tablecloths or one place mat per person
- Heat resistant mats for placing under hot dishes on the table
- Washing up bowl
- Dust pan and brush
- Biscuit / cake tin
- Kitchen scissors
- Broom /brush
- Bucket
- Clothes pegs - Clother airer
- Notice board and pins
- Microwabe oven (simple operation essential)
- Mop and bucket, the Vileda ones are ideal and are much more hygienic than the old fashioned mops
- Plastic storage box with basic cleaning materials
- Simple laminated instructions for appliances - prominently displayed
One each per maximum advertised guest:
in matching sets of pleasant appearance and in good condition. It is also a good idea to have a few spares in case of breakages.
- Cup and saucer
- Mug
- Side plate
- Dinner plate
- Dessert plate
- Soup / cereal bowl
- Large and small knife
- Large and small fork
- Dessert spoon
- Soup spoon
- Tea spoon
- Table spoon
- Egg cup
- Large glass tumbler
- Small glass tumbler
- Wine glass
- Milk bottle holder (for milkman)
General requirements
- A very good quality vacuum cleaner with attachments plus spare bags (this is really important as it encourages guests to keep your home clean and tidy)
- Sweeping brush for outside use
- CD/Hi-fi
- A washing machine and tumble dryer are an asset
- A dishwasher is a good selling point
- A separate freezer is also an asset, especailly when there are more than two people occupying a property
- Any waste paper bins must be metal
- Two dustbins at least
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Download our Owner's Pack (pdf)
for more details
Lake District Self Catering Insurance
Lets Insure have over 40 years local expertise and experience at providing the perfect insurance cover for your holiday home – take a look at their tailor made package.
Bookings/Enquiries: 015394 88855
Fax: 015394 88857
E-mail: enquiries@lakelovers.co.uk
Brochures: 015394 88858 [Answerphone]
We are open everyday 9.15am to 5.15pm
Lakelovers, Belmont House, Lake Road,
Bowness on Windermere,
Cumbria, LA23 3BJ
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