Holiday let furniture takes a hammering over a busy summer. By October, sofas sag, mattresses need replacing and the odd chair has given up. The quiet weeks after the season are the natural time to put it right. Many Cheshire cottage owners now handle the swap themselves with van hire in Warrington rather than waiting on delivery slots. This guide covers which van to use and how to plan the work between bookings. It also shows how owners with several properties make it pay.
Planning a Holiday Let Furniture Refresh
Start with a walk round each property and a notebook. Note every item that needs replacing, and every item that is going elsewhere rather than to the tip. Then check your booking calendar. Most owners find a gap of two or three nights in late October or November. That gap sets the size of the job, because guests arrive whether the new sofa does or not.
Next, order the new pieces so they are ready to collect in the same window. Retail parks around Warrington and the big furniture stores off the motorway junctions often hold stock for collection. So one van can pick up the new items in the morning. Then it takes the old ones away in the afternoon. That single loop saves a second trip and a second day.
Choosing Between a Luton and a High Roof Van
For a full room swap, the Luton van with tail lift is the usual pick. Its large box suits a full room of furniture at once. Meanwhile, the tail lift takes the strain of getting a heavy oak dresser off the ground. That matters when only two of you are doing the lifting.
For lighter work, the long wheelbase high roof van often suits better. It handles more like a large car on narrow village lanes. It also has room to stand a mattress on its edge. Owners swapping a couple of bedrooms’ worth of bedding, lamps and side tables tend to choose it. If you are unsure, describe the items when you ring and we will tell you which one fits.
Timing the Swap Between Guest Bookings
Our depot on Tilley Street opens Monday to Saturday from 8am to 4pm, closed Sunday. Changeover days in many lets fall on a Friday or Saturday. So a typical plan starts with collecting the van at eight. Next, clear the old pieces while the cleaners work. Then fit the new ones before the next guests arrive. If the cottage sits further out, give yourself the whole day.
On the other hand, a longer gap gives you more choice. Some owners collect on a Friday, keep the van over the weekend and return it on Monday morning. That way the work never runs up against a check-in time. Booking at least two weeks ahead also earns 10% off selected vehicles. So check our van hire special offers once the dates are fixed.
Moving Holiday Let Furniture Without Damage
Cottages bring their own handling problems. Doors are low, stairs turn sharply and floors are often old stone or polished boards. Bring your own furniture blankets, a pair of gloves and some ratchet straps. Also bring a roll of floor protector for the hallway. We do not supply moving kit, so pack it the night before.
Take feet off sofas and legs off tables before carrying them out. Then bag the screws and tape them to the underside. In the van, stand mattresses on edge against the side wall and strap them there. Sofas travel best on their backs with cushions packed around them. Finally, load the new holiday let furniture last, so it comes out first and stays clean.
Long Term Hire for Owners With Several Properties
Owners with three or four lets often refresh them in one push. In that case, long term hire usually makes more sense than a string of single days. You keep one van for the whole job and move between cottages at your own pace. Also, the free secure parking at our depot means your car can stay with us while the van is out.
Plan the order of properties with care. Start with the cottage furthest away and work back toward Warrington. Also keep a simple sheet of which items go where. With several lets on the go, it is easy to drop a bedside table at the wrong door. A labelled tag on each new piece saves that mistake, and it helps the cleaners too.
Many of these properties sit south of Warrington in Cheshire. Our page on van hire Frodsham covers the hill country and the villages near the Mersey. Similarly, our van hire Northwich page covers the mid-Cheshire side. Both are an easy run down the A49 or the M56, though lanes near the cottages can be tight.
Collecting the Van and What to Bring
Every van in our fleet is 3.5 tonnes or under. That means you can drive the Luton on a standard car licence. If you want to check what your own licence covers, the government page on driving licence categories sets it out. When you collect, bring your photocard licence and a DVLA check code. There is no deposit on most vehicles.
Furnishing a static caravan or a lodge as well? Read our guide to furnishing a caravan or holiday home. It covers the narrower doors and tighter site roads those jobs involve. For cottages, the plan above usually holds. In short, measure first and book the right van. Then fit the holiday let furniture swap into the gap in your calendar, and give guests a fresh welcome next season.
Tell us how many properties you are refreshing, what is going in and out and when your booking gaps fall. We will help you choose the right van and the right length of hire. Call Warrington Van Hire on 01925 396 222, or send the details through our contact us page.
