For property partners
Your holiday property could create lasting memories
Why become a property partner?
By gifting time in your property you’ll be helping people living with a terminal illness to enjoy precious time away with those they love.
Gaps in your calendar can become something truly meaningful.
Every gifted stay provides:
- Time together
- New memories
- A change of environment
- An opportunity to relax and reconnect
What we mean by property partners ›
Our property partners are the generous owners and booking agents who help us provide free breaks by donating otherwise unbooked time in their holiday properties.
Without their generosity, A Bit of a Break wouldn’t be possible. That’s why we see them as genuine partners in what we do.
We show our appreciation by featuring our property partners on our website, giving them shout-outs on social media and making a contribution towards the costs of cleaning, laundry and utility bills associated with each break.
What properties do we need?
From small cottages in the Yorkshire Dales, caravans in holiday parks in Blackpool, lodges in the Lake District and apartments with sea views in Northumberland, we’re lucky to have a fantastic variety of self-catering properties on our books.
As some of our guests have mobility or health needs we’re always looking for properties with accessible features. Ground floor accommodation, step-free access, accessible bathrooms and wheelchair-friendly facilities all help us support more guests and ensure their stay is comfortable and enjoyable.
We’d love to hear from you if you have a property and think you could help, and if you’re unsure whether your property is suitable, please get in touch and we can have a chat.
Our destinations
From the East Yorkshire and Northumberland coast through to the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District, across to Blackpool and North Wales, this map shows the top six locations for a break.
- North Wales
- Lake District / Cumbria
- Northumberland
- Yorkshire Dales
- Cheshire & Lancashire
- Yorkshire Moors / Coast
How it works
Becoming a Property Partner is simple. Once you’ve let us know about your property, we’ll work with you to match suitable guests and manage the process from start to finish.
Step 1
Gift available dates
You can either let us know when your property is available or we’ll work with you to spot opportunities to donate a stay, whether that’s a single stay or multiple dates throughout the year.
Step 2
Guest matching
We’ll get in touch and see if we can match your property with a guest based on their individual needs, family circumstances and any accessibility requirements. We want every break to be right for both the guest and you.
Step 3
A smooth process
We’ll liaise with you and our guest to make sure the whole process is as smooth and stress-free as possible from beginning to end.
Property partner stories
Stories from the property owners helping create lasting memories.
Property partners FAQs
How do I offer my holiday property into your scheme?
We’re always so delighted to hear of possible new properties! There are a few things to consider, and these are set out in the questions and answers below.
What types of properties do you need?
We welcome all types of holiday properties – cottages, bungalows, apartments, lodges, and caravans – and properties are offered to our patients on a self-catering basis. It helps if properties are commercially let as this gives a degree of quality assurance and a sense that safety standards will be in place.
Does the location of the property matter?
Coastal, lake/river or rural locations are popular, but all locations are welcome. We have properties in the Lake District, on the Northumberland and Yorkshire coasts, Bronte Country, the Yorkshire Dales, and Blackpool. We’re especially looking for seaside properties in North Wales for people referred from the Liverpool area and also properties in Derbyshire and the Peak District.
What about access?
Access issues may be important to some of our guests so properties with easy or level access at the front door, a toilet on the ground floor and even better, a ground floor bedroom and bathroom with walk-in shower/wet-room, are always welcomed. Accessible parking for easy drop-off of passengers and luggage is also helpful.
Our holiday property is used only by family & friends. Will that work?
Please think about the logistics of the property being used by strangers. Are your personal belongings difficult to remove or hide away? Also, our guests may not be enjoying optimum health so might want to sit and relax in the property all day or stay in bed longer than usual. Is the lounge furniture and bed comfortable enough for this? Finally, some of our guests have compromised mobility. Is the property and garden safe for people who may be frail on their feet?
Who does the cleaning?
We ask that properties are fully clean, and beds all made up so that guests don’t have the worry of these jobs on arrival or before their departure. We make a donation to cover cleaning costs. A high standard of cleanliness really matters as our guests may be immuno-compromised or more prone to infection. Do you have a reliable cleaning service and laundry facility for change-over day?
Is my property suitable?
We hope so! Consider the list below of the simple headings from our Property Checklist. This will help you think about whether you’re likely to meet our safety requirements.
| 1.Gas safety | 5. Water safety | 9. Cots, high-chairs, bunk beds |
| 2. Carbon monoxide detector | 6. Hot tub/sauna hygiene/safety (if applicable) | 10. Windows/Glass partitions |
| 3. Electrical safety | 7. Water features on premises | 11. Insurance |
| 4. Fire safety | 8. Playground equipment | 12. Access Statement |
I think my property is suitable. What should I do?
Please email us on [email protected] and we will send you our full Property Checklist and Property Information Sheet to complete and return to us. We will also provide our direct phone number for you to contact us to talk about any areas of uncertainty if you are unsure.
How soon will ABOAB start using our property?
As soon as we’ve assured ourselves that your property is suitable, we’ll add it straight into our scheme and start looking for suitable matches with those on our waiting list and again when someone is newly referred. We’ll keep checking your on-line availability ourselves and if we see an un-filled week on the horizon, we’ll contact you about it if we have someone suitable on our waiting list. We also ask you to let us know if you have an un-booked week ahead that we might use, and this can be at just 3- or 4-weeks’ notice or several months away.
What about the formalities?
At ABOAB we see ourselves as an introducer and the agreement for the booking is between you and the guests. We ask property owners to deal directly with the guests in your usual way in terms of confirming arrival times, sending directions, and any other information they may need. We will make a donation to cover your agreed ‘overheads charge’ for cleaning, laundry, and utilities costs at the time of booking confirmation, and even if our guests have to cancel, you keep the payment by way of a thank you.
What are the benefits to me offering time in my holiday property to ABOAB?
The feedback we receive from guests about the benefits of a holiday while living with a terminal illness is hugely gratifying. As a property owner, be assured that your generosity in gifting a holiday will be massively appreciated. We pay a fee to cover your cleaning, laundry and utility bills associated with the break to help ease costs. We hope you’ll put A Bit of a Break’s logo on your website and social media, to tell others what you’re doing. We’ll similarly feature you on our platforms and give you a shout-out and thank-you as often as we can.
Can we help with fundraising?
Yes please! We want you to be proud of your partnership with us and tell your guests all about it. There’s a flyer which you can print off to display for guests or include within your digital guest folder. The QR code on there links through to our fundraising page making donating very easy. We can also provide you with an ABAOB collection pot to leave in your properties for guests to donate as they wish.