Winter lets in Walkford
Let a Walkford holiday home or furnished house from November to March to families near relatives, contractors and people between homes, then take it back for summer, through Flexiestays.
- 4.9/5 ★★★★★ 786 reviews
- 130 properties managed
- Since 2018 letting in Bournemouth
A winter let in Walkford is a furnished house or holiday home let from November to March, for 28 nights or more at a time, to someone who needs to be near Highcliffe or Christchurch for weeks. Flexiestays lists it, checks the guest, collects payment and looks after the stay, and the house returns to you for spring and summer.
This page is the Walkford detail of our winter lets service. For the village, see estate agents in Walkford.
The Walkford year
Summer brings families for beach weeks at Highcliffe and the path through Chewton Bunny. Spring and autumn bring walkers, dog owners, New Forest cyclists and wedding guests for the castle. From November, holiday demand falls away. A house that stays empty until Easter still pays its standing charges and, if it is a second home, BCP's council tax premium.
Who takes a house for the winter
- Families near older relatives. Highcliffe and Christchurch have many retired residents, and winter is when families come to help after a hospital stay or a move.
- Contractors. Engineers and project staff at Bournemouth Airport and the Aviation Park, booking by the month.
- People between homes. Couples who have sold and are searching for a bungalow on this side of Christchurch.
- Remote workers. A quiet house, a garden and Hinton Admiral station for the occasional trip to London.
These guests live in the house rather than holiday in it, and many arrive with a car full of belongings and stay until a sale completes or a parent is settled. They need heating that warms every room, a washing machine and somewhere to dry clothes, a table to work at, and broadband that copes with video calls.
How we run a winter let
You choose the dates. We check the house for winter living, list it on the Flexiestays platform, reference each guest, and agree one monthly price including bills. A clean and fresh linen are arranged before arrival; during the stay we answer the guest; at the end we inspect. Flexiestays charges 8% on bookings it brings to a managed property, and management is quoted after a visit.
Before accepting a long booking, check the 140 and 70-night test with us: at the time of writing long stays may not count towards it. Our guide to winter lets explains how owners balance the two.
Other routes for the same house
To let all year to one tenant, see letting agents in Walkford and property management in Walkford. For long stays in any month, see long term lets in Walkford. Owners considering a sale can read selling your property in Walkford or book a property valuation in Walkford. The winter service covers Christchurch as well.
The Walkford property market
Walkford is a quiet residential village behind Highcliffe, on the Dorset side of the Walkford Brook, which marks the county border with Hampshire and New Milton. Homes are mostly bungalows and detached houses with gardens and drives, and they rent and sell to families, retirees and people who want the beach and the New Forest within reach.
In winter Walkford lets like the residential village it is. Its chalet bungalows and detached houses, with drives and gardens, are what longer-stay guests want, and the woodland path through Chewton Bunny to Highcliffe Beach is as good a walk in January as in June.
The winter guests are rarely on holiday. They are families staying near parents in Highcliffe and Christchurch, contractors on projects around Bournemouth Airport, people between a sale and a purchase, remote workers who want a quiet house with Hinton Admiral station a short drive away, and occasionally families attending a winter event at Highcliffe Castle or the Chewton Glen hotel across the brook. Many stay for weeks.
The rules here are BCP's. Walkford is in BCP Council's area, not New Forest District, even though Hampshire is just across the brook. At the time of writing BCP charges a 100% council tax premium on furnished second homes, and a property available to let for 140 nights and actually let for 70 in the previous 12 months is assessed for business rates. Winter stays on the platform start at 28 nights, and long stays may not count towards the 70.
Who rents and buys in Walkford
- Retirees and downsizers. Level bungalows with gardens and drives, close to Highcliffe's shops and the clifftop, draw people retiring to the coast. They buy most of the bungalows that come up and rent while they search.
- Families who want space. Larger plots than central Highcliffe, quiet closes and schools nearby bring families relocating to the Christchurch area, as tenants and as buyers.
- Commuters and the main line. Hinton Admiral station gives Walkford a direct line to London Waterloo, Southampton and Bournemouth. People who work partly from home and travel to London or Southampton a few days a week rent and buy here for it.
- Weddings, events and visiting families. Highcliffe Castle and the Chewton Glen hotel across the brook bring guests for weddings and events, and families visiting older relatives in Highcliffe need somewhere for weeks at a time. Both feed furnished lets.
Let furnished, from 28 nights, all year round.
A furnished flat in Walkford does not have to sit on a twelve-month tenancy or empty from November. Through the group's platform, Flexiestays, it can be let to contractors, relocations, hospital staff and visiting families for a month or more at a time.
- Stays of a month to several months
- Guests looking for somewhere to live, not a holiday
- Fills the gaps between tenancies and summers
Letting your property in Walkford, step by step
A free valuation
We visit, read the lease and the certificates, and give you a rent range for the property in Walkford with the reasons, plus our fees in writing.
Marketing and referencing
Photographs, a floor plan and the listing go out to the portals and our registered tenants. We show the property and reference every adult before you accept anyone.
Move in, then managed
Tenancy agreement, deposit protection, certificates and a photographed inventory on the day. With management, we collect the rent, inspect and arrange repairs.
Winter lets in Walkford: questions
Who takes winter lets in Walkford?
Families staying near older relatives in Highcliffe and Christchurch, contractors working around Bournemouth Airport, couples between selling and buying, remote workers, and the occasional family in the area for a wedding or event at Highcliffe Castle or Chewton Glen. Most book for a month or more.
Does the Hampshire border affect a Walkford winter let?
Only in that the right council is BCP, not New Forest District. Council tax, the second homes premium and planning for a Walkford house are BCP Council's. A house just across the brook in Hampshire follows New Forest District Council's rules instead.
Will a winter let affect business rates on my holiday home?
It may. At the time of writing a holiday let is assessed for business rates if it was available for 140 nights and let for 70 in the previous 12 months, and long stays may not count towards the 70. We plan the calendar with you so a winter booking does not tip the house back into council tax unexpectedly.
What is included for the guest?
The furnished house and the bills in one monthly price: electricity, gas, water, broadband and council tax, with a clean and fresh linen before arrival. Further cleans can be added during the stay.
Is a winter guest a tenant?
Not when they stay furnished, with bills included, while their main home is elsewhere: that is a serviced let. A guest who makes the house their only home could be a tenant in law, so the agreement has to fit the stay. This is general information, not legal advice.
Rated 4.9 on Google
I've had a really positive experience
I've had a really positive experience with the Airbnb building services, and I'd especially like to recognise Nat, Jack, and Reece for how helpful, friendly, and professional they are. They're always approachable, responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to help resolve any issues or answer questions. Their attitude makes a real difference and creates a welcoming experience for residents and guests. A special mention has to go to Natalie, who has been exceptionally helpful. She is consistently kind, attentive, and proactive, and always makes sure things are dealt with properly. Her dedication and willingness to help really stand out and are very much appreciated. Thank you to the whole team for all your hard work, it definitely doesn't go unnoticed!
Great accommodation and location
Ease of booking. Great communication with the team. Moved to the area and stayed while purchasing property. Very flexible regarding duration of stay. 2 months. We stayed in 2 different apartments. Both lovely. Quiet. No hassle. Also location awesome. A few minutes walk to the beach and town. Thanks again everyone at Flexistays Bournemouth. Highly recommend
Lovely and cosy apartment in the centre
Lovely and cosy apartment in the centre of Bournemouth, and managing to still be quiet. Close to the train station (and buses), big Asda superstore, town centre, park and the beach. I have stayed so far in 2 different apartments in the same building on 2 separate occasions. Both, lovely decorated, with everything one may need for a short or longer stay. A kind of apartment you just want to stay in the whole day! I would definitely recommend.
Residents and guests of the furnished apartments we let and manage, in their own words, quoted as published. Each rating is the platform's own, read on the date shown. See every review
Winter lets nearby
- Highcliffe
- Christchurch
- Bransgore
- Friars Cliff
- Bournemouth
- Poole
- Southbourne
- Boscombe
- Westbourne
- Winton
- Charminster
- Alum Chine
- Winter lets: every area
Other services here: Letting agents in Walkford, Long term lets in Walkford, Property management in Walkford, Property valuation in Walkford, Selling your property in Walkford
Ready to let or sell with Flexiestays?
Tell us about the property and we come back with a rent or price range, what it needs before it goes on the market and our fees in writing.