Gail Crutchlow Dartmouth Holiday Homes
Gail is General Manager of one of Dartmouth's main holiday home lettings agencies, Dartmouth Holiday Homes.
How does the business work?
We let privately owned holiday homes. People come to us with a property they’d like to rent out. We inspect it and see if it meets all our criteria. Then we take it on - do the photos, market it, take bookings, deal with the money, the lot!
How many properties do you have on your books?
101. I know that as I counted the other day and thought; ‘wow we’ve now got over 100!’
Why do you need an office in the centre of town given that everyone here is already on holiday?
We get loads of passing trade. It could be Dartmouth residents looking for something for their family/a recommendation for a friend, or someone who’s already on holiday wanting to book the next. I think the huge window helps as people walking by can see our smiling faces and think; ‘they look happy let’s try there!’ If the house they’re interested in is vacant we will take them to see it there and then.
What makes you good at your job?
I know pretty much everything about our properties from the colour of the living room walls to the make of the washing machines. It’s all part of our hands-on approach, I make sure we check every house before an arrival. If a guest’s asked for something that isn’t there we will go and source it - even if it’s eggcups at 9 o’clock at night!
Do you have a favourite customer!?
We have a lovely husband and wife from the Black Country who come a few times each year and bring doughnuts to the office on check in day. We have such a varied client base - walkers, couples who want a quiet getaway, affluent families who bring their boat, dog and nanny!
There aren’t any men behind the desks?
Well spotted! We are an all female team. It certainly leads to a lot of banter in the office... and chocolate. Men are welcome, by the way! We have over 20 local cleaning companies that work for us and they are staffed by both sexes!
Best part of the job?
Going to see a new house. I’ve worked for the company for 20 years but still love looking around a property and discovering a slightly different view or a hidden garden. I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit some amazing properties – and often take tips for my own home!
Worst part?
Dealing with the general public brings varied challenges, particularly when the weather is lousy!
What’s the most rewarding part of the job?
When we’re able to go that extra mile for our customers. One elderly couple with mobility issues hired a property down several flights of stairs. They were determined to stay there, so we helped them get in with all their shopping and then had to go back to get them out at the end of their stay. I’m not sure they ventured out all week, just enjoyed the views!
What’s the most frequently asked question?
“Do you have a spare key?” The team takes it in turns to be on call and when that phone rings you can bet the first thing they’ll say is; “We’ve locked ourselves out”.
Do you deal with any famous people?
We look after the BBC Coroner team when they film here. We let Mary Berry’s house in Salcombe for quite a few years. She doesn’t own it anymore but we still have it on our books. She is a really lovely lady.
First published By The Dart magazine May 2016