Winter lets in West Cliff
Furnished West Cliff flats let from November to March to BIC delegates, contractors, relocating staff and people wintering by the sea, then handed back for the summer. Run through the Flexiestays platform.
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A winter let on the West Cliff keeps a furnished flat earning from November to March, when the beach families have gone but the BIC, the town centre and the hospitals have not. We let the flat by the week or the month to people who need to be in Bournemouth, then hand it back in time for Easter. This is the West Cliff detail of our winter lets service.
Who takes West Cliff winter lets
- Event visitors. Delegates, exhibitors and audiences at the BIC, and families at Bournemouth University's November graduation ceremonies, for one to three nights.
- Contractors and project staff, often booked by their employer, for a few weeks to a few months.
- People relocating to jobs in the town centre, who want somewhere furnished while they find a home.
- Remote workers and wintering couples, who choose the cliff for the sea air and the walk into town.
The group's buildings on West Cliff Gardens fill with the same guests every winter, so we know what they ask about first: heating, Wi-Fi, parking and the walk to the BIC.
How an owner's flat keeps earning
Summer on the West Cliff is family weeks and short breaks. From November the flat is priced by the week and the month instead, with event dates at nightly rates. A run of monthly stays cuts changeovers and cleaning, and a heated, occupied flat suffers less from damp than one shut up until spring.
The 28-night and 140 and 70 night lines
At the time of writing, BCP Council charges a 100% council tax premium on furnished second homes. A self-catering property available to let for 140 nights and actually let for 70 in the year is assessed for business rates instead, and only lets of 28 nights or less count towards the 70. That makes the West Cliff winter useful: BIC stays of a few nights count, month-long stays add income. We plan the mix around both. A guest who makes the flat their only home may be a tenant whatever the booking says, so we use the right agreement for each stay; this is not legal advice. The winter lets guide and council tax and second homes in BCP explain the rules.
Getting the flat ready
Check the lease first. Then the flat: heating, draughts round the sash windows, condensation in bedrooms, a desk, a dryer or airer, and parking instructions. Cliff-top weather finds every weak seal, so repairs go in before the first winter guest.
Related West Cliff pages
For guests looking for a stay, see long term lets in West Cliff. For a year-round tenancy instead, see letting agents in West Cliff and property management in West Cliff. For a figure on the flat, see property valuation in West Cliff or selling your property in West Cliff. The West Cliff area page covers the neighbourhood, and winter lets in Bournemouth the whole town.
The West Cliff property market
The West Cliff is a market of flats between the BIC, Durley Chine and Westbourne: converted villas, purpose-built blocks and former hotels rebuilt as apartments. Tenants are professionals, couples and people relocating who want the beach and the town centre on foot; buyers are downsizers, second-home owners and landlords.
The West Cliff has a winter that most of the seafront lacks, because the Bournemouth International Centre sits at its eastern end on Exeter Road. Conferences, exhibitions, concerts and Bournemouth University's graduation ceremonies in November bring people who want to walk to the venue. Between those dates, contractors, relocating staff and remote workers take flats by the week or the month.
The flats that suit a winter let are furnished one and two-bedroom homes with heating that works, fast Wi-Fi, a table to work at and a parking space. A sea view helps, but in January a warm flat with a bay outside wins more bookings than a cold one with a view.
Two lines decide how a winter let is set up. Stays of 28 nights or more are let on a serviced basis, and only lets of 28 nights or less count towards the 70 let nights in the 140 and 70 night test for business rates. BCP Council charges a 100% council tax premium on furnished second homes that do not meet that test.
Who rents and buys in West Cliff
- The BIC and the town centre. Conferences, exhibitions, concerts and Bournemouth University's graduation ceremonies at the BIC bring delegates and families all year. The same walk to work and to the Square is what professional tenants pay for.
- Relocations and contract work. People starting jobs in Bournemouth, project workers and households waiting for a purchase to complete want a furnished flat with parking near the centre for a few months. The group's West Cliff buildings exist for them.
- Downsizers and second homes. Buyers selling family houses inland or in London take West Cliff flats with a lift, a view of Poole Bay and the beach below. They are the main resale market for landlords who want to sell.
- The beach without the pier crowd. Durley Chine and West Cliff Beach are a short walk down, quieter than the sand by the pier. Couples and older tenants choose the cliff for that and stay for years.
Let furnished, from 28 nights, all year round.
A furnished flat in West 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 West 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 West 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 West Cliff: questions
Who takes a West Cliff flat for the winter?
BIC delegates and audiences for a few nights, families at Bournemouth University's November graduations, contractors and project staff for weeks or months, people relocating to jobs in the town centre, and remote workers or retired couples who want a winter by the sea.
Which months does a winter let cover?
November to March. Stays are agreed with an end date that leaves Easter and the summer free, with time for a deep clean and repairs before the first holiday guest. If a winter guest asks to stay on, we compare what they offer with what spring would earn.
Does a winter of month-long stays help with business rates?
Not on its own. A self-catering property needs to be available for 140 nights and actually let for 70 in the year, and only lets of 28 nights or less count towards the 70. BIC stays of a few nights help that test; month-long stays add income but not let nights.
What does a West Cliff flat need for winter guests?
Reliable heating guests can control, Wi-Fi fit for video calls, a desk or table, a washing machine and somewhere to dry clothes, good bedding and a clear answer on parking. Cliff-top windows should be checked for draughts and condensation before the season.
Can my lease stop me doing a winter let?
Yes. Many West Cliff leases restrict short stays or require the freeholder's consent, and some treat a stay of several months differently from a holiday let. Have the lease read before you furnish. Tell your lender and insurer what you plan as well.
How are winter guests found?
Through the Flexiestays platform, Bournemouth's number one for winter and long stays, which charges only 8% on the bookings it brings to managed properties. Holiday let owners who want full management use Sea Breeze Property Services, the group's holiday let arm.
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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!
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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
- Westbourne
- Alum Chine
- East Cliff
- Bournemouth
- Poole
- Christchurch
- Southbourne
- Boscombe
- Winton
- Charminster
- Moordown
- Kinson
- Winter lets: every area
Other services here: Letting agents in West Cliff, Long term lets in West Cliff, Property management in West Cliff, Property valuation in West Cliff, Selling your property in West Cliff
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