Winter lets in Friars Cliff
Let a Friars Cliff holiday home or furnished house from November to March to people who need it for a month or more, then take it back for the summer, through Flexiestays, Bournemouth's number one platform for winter and long stays.
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- Since 2018 letting in Bournemouth
A winter let in Friars Cliff is a holiday home or furnished house let from November to March to someone who needs it for 28 nights or more, before it returns to summer use. Flexiestays finds the guest, checks them, collects payment and looks after the stay. The house earns in the months it would otherwise stand empty behind a closed promenade.
This page is the Friars Cliff detail of our winter lets service. The area itself is on estate agents in Friars Cliff.
The Friars Cliff year
Easter to September is beach weeks: families in houses with gardens, beach huts on the promenade, Avon Beach and Mudeford Quay along the shore. October brings walkers on the path through Steamer Point and the odd wedding party for Highcliffe Castle. From November the estate goes quiet, and a house without a winter plan can stand empty for five months while the council tax premium and the standing charges continue.
Who takes the house in winter
- Families near relatives. Christchurch has a large retired population, and winter brings sons and daughters who need a house nearby for a few weeks.
- Contractors. Projects at Bournemouth Airport and the Aviation Park at Hurn bring engineers who book by the month and want a drive and a quiet road.
- People between homes. Couples who have sold and are buying on the coast, often looking at bungalows like these.
- Hospital staff. Placements at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, a drive along the A35.
How it works
You give us the dates, and the house is prepared for winter living rather than a summer week: heating that works in every room, a working wood burner or a sealed fireplace, draught-proofed doors and somewhere to dry coats. We photograph and list the house on the Flexiestays platform, reference each guest, and agree a single price covering rent and bills. We arrange a clean and fresh linen before arrival, answer the guest during the stay and inspect at the end. Flexiestays charges 8% on the bookings it brings; management is quoted separately.
Before you accept a long booking, check the 140 and 70-night test for business rates: at the time of writing long stays may not count towards it. Our guide to winter lets and the guide on council tax and second homes explain both.
If winter lets are not the answer
Some owners decide a year-round tenancy suits them better: see letting agents in Friars Cliff and property management in Friars Cliff. Others let for long stays all year through long term lets in Friars Cliff. Owners ready to move on can read selling your property in Friars Cliff or book a property valuation in Friars Cliff. The same winter service covers Christchurch.
The Friars Cliff property market
Friars Cliff is a small residential estate behind its own beach, between Mudeford and Highcliffe, laid out in the first half of the 20th century. Almost everything here is a whole house or bungalow, so rentals are family and retirement homes rather than flats, and few come to market in any year.
Friars Cliff is one of the most summer-led places on this coast. Its bungalows and houses behind the beach fill in the school holidays, and once the families leave the promenade and its beach huts, short breaks thin out faster than in Mudeford or Highcliffe, which have a quay and a castle to keep visitors coming.
That gap is what a winter let fills. From November to March the people who want a Friars Cliff house are not holidaymakers: they are families staying near older relatives in Christchurch, contractors at the airport and the Aviation Park, couples between homes, and people on hospital placements. They want single-storey living, a drive, a garden and quiet.
The lines that matter. Winter stays through Flexiestays start at 28 nights. At the time of writing, a property available to let for 140 nights and actually let for 70 in the previous 12 months is assessed for business rates instead of council tax, and long winter bookings may not count towards the 70. BCP Council charges a 100% council tax premium on furnished second homes.
Who rents and buys in Friars Cliff
- Families who want a house near the sand. Three beaches within walking distance, quiet roads and gardens make Friars Cliff a family address. Tenants with children and buyers moving from London or the Home Counties look for a house here rather than a flat elsewhere.
- Downsizers and retirees. Single-storey bungalows with parking and a short level walk to the promenade suit people retiring to the coast. They buy, and they also rent furnished for a few months while a sale elsewhere completes.
- Second home owners. Homes within sight of the sea are bought as second homes and holiday lets. BCP Council's 100% council tax premium on furnished second homes has pushed some owners to let them for longer stays or to sell.
- People working at the airport and the hospital. Contractors at the Aviation Park and staff at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital want a furnished house with a drive for weeks or months, within a short drive of Hurn and Castle Lane East.
Let furnished, from 28 nights, all year round.
A furnished flat in Friars Cliff does not have to sit on a twelve-month tenancy or empty from November. Through the group's platform, Flexiestays, it can be let to contractors, relocations, hospital staff and visiting families for a month or more at a time.
- Stays of a month to several months
- Guests looking for somewhere to live, not a holiday
- Fills the gaps between tenancies and summers
Letting your property in Friars Cliff, step by step
A free valuation
We visit, read the lease and the certificates, and give you a rent range for the property in Friars Cliff with the reasons, plus our fees in writing.
Marketing and referencing
Photographs, a floor plan and the listing go out to the portals and our registered tenants. We show the property and reference every adult before you accept anyone.
Move in, then managed
Tenancy agreement, deposit protection, certificates and a photographed inventory on the day. With management, we collect the rent, inspect and arrange repairs.
Winter lets in Friars Cliff: questions
Who takes a winter let in Friars Cliff?
People who need a furnished house for a month or more between November and March: families near relatives in Christchurch, contractors at Bournemouth Airport and the Aviation Park, people between a sale and a purchase, and hospital staff on placements. Holidaymakers are few in those months.
Will a winter let affect my business rates status?
It can. At the time of writing a holiday let qualifies for business rates if it was available for 140 nights and let for 70 in the previous 12 months, and only shorter lettings may count towards the 70. A long winter booking could leave you short. We check the calendar with you before accepting one.
Can I keep the summer for holiday guests?
Yes. That is the point of a winter let. You choose the months, typically November to March, and the house returns to holiday use or to your own family in spring. The guest's agreement states the end date at the outset.
Is a winter let a tenancy?
Not when it is let furnished, with bills included, to someone whose main home is elsewhere: it is a serviced let. A guest who makes the house their only home could be a tenant whatever the booking is called, so we use the agreement that fits each stay. This is general information, not legal advice.
What does Flexiestays charge for a winter let?
Flexiestays charges 8% on the bookings it brings to a property it manages. Cleaning, linen and guest care during the stay are part of the management, quoted after we visit the house and confirmed in writing.
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I've had a really positive experience
I've had a really positive experience with the Airbnb building services, and I'd especially like to recognise Nat, Jack, and Reece for how helpful, friendly, and professional they are. They're always approachable, responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to help resolve any issues or answer questions. Their attitude makes a real difference and creates a welcoming experience for residents and guests. A special mention has to go to Natalie, who has been exceptionally helpful. She is consistently kind, attentive, and proactive, and always makes sure things are dealt with properly. Her dedication and willingness to help really stand out and are very much appreciated. Thank you to the whole team for all your hard work, it definitely doesn't go unnoticed!
Great accommodation and location
Ease of booking. Great communication with the team. Moved to the area and stayed while purchasing property. Very flexible regarding duration of stay. 2 months. We stayed in 2 different apartments. Both lovely. Quiet. No hassle. Also location awesome. A few minutes walk to the beach and town. Thanks again everyone at Flexistays Bournemouth. Highly recommend
Lovely and cosy apartment in the centre
Lovely and cosy apartment in the centre of Bournemouth, and managing to still be quiet. Close to the train station (and buses), big Asda superstore, town centre, park and the beach. I have stayed so far in 2 different apartments in the same building on 2 separate occasions. Both, lovely decorated, with everything one may need for a short or longer stay. A kind of apartment you just want to stay in the whole day! I would definitely recommend.
Residents and guests of the furnished apartments we let and manage, in their own words, quoted as published. Each rating is the platform's own, read on the date shown. See every review
Winter lets nearby
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- Winton
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- Winter lets: every area
Other services here: Letting agents in Friars Cliff, Long term lets in Friars Cliff, Property management in Friars Cliff, Property valuation in Friars Cliff, Selling your property in Friars Cliff
Ready to let or sell with Flexiestays?
Tell us about the property and we come back with a rent or price range, what it needs before it goes on the market and our fees in writing.