Enzo Ricci,  Friday, 1 September 2017

 

Some owners of a holiday home in Italy rent out their property to cover the running costs. Renting out to cover your costs is often not that difficult. But if you want to generate income by renting out your home, then there is a lot more to it.

A house with a pool is much easier to rent out than a house without a pool. If you buy to let, a private pool is simply necessary. The maintenance of a swimming pool costs money, but you can multiply the rental price of the house by a factor of 2.

The tenant market is divided into couples, small families, and large groups. A family house with three bedrooms is ideal for families. If you want to generate income, you have to focus on large groups and buy a B&B or a house with 12-16 sleeping accommodations.

There are many different rental companies where you can offer your property. With the larger rental companies, you have a better chance of renting out your home for a longer period. The disadvantage is that you can often no longer decide when you want to use the house yourself. Larger rental companies often also put half of the proceeds into their own pockets. Smaller rental companies will not always find tenants. You will, therefore, have to actively enter the market yourself, through your website or by advertising on Airbnb, Booking. com or other large internet sites. If you don't want to have a lot of hassle, it's best to outsource everything to a large rental company.

In the traditional tourist centers in Tuscany and around the Italian lakes you have a lot of competition. Take this into account.

In southern Italy, the rental season runs from Easter to October. The high season from July to September with August at its peak. In northern Italy, the season is a bit shorter, but you can also rent out a house near a ski slope in the winter months.

To get a better chance of renting out your holiday home, you should not cut back on the interior and facilities. Make sure that all necessary facilities are well arranged, that everything looks neat and well cared for. No cheap garden chairs in the kitchen, for example, only elegant and comfortable chairs. If you rent your property through a rental organization, they can give you tips on what should be at least present in the property.

People nowadays always want to have access to the Internet. A house without Internet is a lot harder to rent out. Besides a swimming pool, a fast internet connection is also necessary. If you don't have a fixed Internet connection via cable, make sure you have a key with which the tenant can log in to the Internet via Wifi.

You have to pay tax on the rental income in Italy. If you rent the property for more than 30 days, you must inform the Italian tax office. The lease contract must include details of the land registry, and you must also add a copy of the energy label of the property. If you don't do that, you will get a fine.