Impact of lockdown on furnished holiday lettings

Nearly 11 500 second homes in England have become furnished holiday lets since the start of the pandemic according to research from the Altus Group – see New holiday lets. Now that the red list for travel has been considerably eased and freedom to travel for the vaccinated is nearly back to the pre-pandemic position it is worth exploring this particular lockdown impact on the residential property market.

So why the change? It appears that 21st century people need a temporary change of scene in the way our distant ancestors presumably never did. Back in 1841 Thomas Cook organised an excursion from Leicester to Loughborough to take people to a temperance meeting but it could be said mass tourism took off ten years later when he offered trips to the Great Exhibition; since then...