Winter let management in Alum Chine

Alum Chine flats are bought for August, and most owners discover in their first November how quickly the bookings stop. Winter let management at Alum Chine plans for that drop from the start: a different guest from November to March, a monthly price, a flat prepared for clifftop weather, and an end date that hands it back to the families by Easter. The service behind it is winter let management.

Alum Chine's winter guests

• Dog owners. Once the summer restrictions end on 30 September, the whole beach is open to dogs, and the promenade gives a flat walk in either direction.
• Couples wintering by the sea. Retired and semi-retired guests who want a month or two of sea air with Westbourne's shops a walk away.
• Remote workers, swapping a city flat for a desk with a view of the bay.
• Relocations and renovations. People moving for work to Bournemouth or Poole, and owners refurbishing houses in Westbourne and Branksome Dene.
• Christmas families, for a week near relatives in Westbourne and Poole.

Preparing an Alum Chine flat for winter

A summer flat is set up for beach days: outdoor showers, a rack for wetsuits, a sofa bed for the children. A winter flat is set up for staying in. That means heating that is reliable and simple, wifi strong enough for video calls, a table to work at, good bedding, a washing machine and a dryer or airer, and a clear answer on parking, since many blocks have limited spaces. For dog owners, a towel by the door and somewhere to rinse paws.

The blocks on the clifftop and at beach level take winter storms head on. We check windows, seals and signs of damp before the season, and repairs go to recommended local contractors you pay directly.

The price of an Alum Chine winter

The summer rate is irrelevant from November. We price winter in weekly and monthly terms against what a long-stay guest would pay elsewhere in Westbourne or Poole, with the energy cost of a heated flat built in, and keep Christmas and New Year as a short peak with a minimum stay. The aim is a flat that is lived in and earning through January and February rather than one that holds out for weekend breaks that rarely come. Prices are reviewed daily.

Flexiestays for the Alum Chine winter

Long-stay guests often begin their search on Flexiestays, the group's own platform and Bournemouth's number one platform for winter and long stays. It charges only 8% on the bookings it brings, so a two-month winter stay found there leaves more with you than a booking on a large travel site.

Back to beach weeks by Easter

Alum Chine's summer is booked early by families, sometimes before the winter guest has arrived, so we fix winter end dates at the time of booking. Easter and the May half term are usually kept free. Between the last winter stay and the first family week we schedule the deep clean, any decoration and new photographs.

Council tax, business rates and the 28-night line

BCP Council has charged a 100% council tax premium on furnished second homes since April 2025. A flat available for 140 nights and let for 70 can be rated as a business, but lets of more than 28 nights do not count towards the 70. At Alum Chine the summer usually carries that test, so winter long stays add income on top. We still use the right agreement for each stay, and leases in purpose-built blocks often restrict letting, so read yours. See holiday let regulations in England and holiday let tax after FHL.

What we do in winter, and the cost

We list on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, Flexiestays and 20+ channels, answer guests through one inbox with 24-hour support, manage check-ins and inspect the flat during long stays. Cleaning, linen and maintenance go through recommended local companies you pay directly, or your own. Commission is 16% of booking revenue with no retainer; see our pricing and how it works.

Summer letting is covered on holiday let management at Alum Chine and Airbnb management at Alum Chine. Uphill, Westbourne has the steadier winter, and the West Cliff has the BIC.