I thought I would show this short film I made at Loe Bar in Cornwall. Please don’t go on the beach if the conditions are like this

I know its almost Christmas, but Mousehole in Cornwall has put on another great light display this year.

This summertime holiday destination with its traditional Cornish cottages comes to life again over the festive period.

The process of putting the lights up starts in late September and this delightful Cornish fishing village goes to town like no other.

There are lights in the harbour at Mousehole that reflect across the sea towards Penzance, it is a sight to behold and I would recommend you visiting the village.

I understand that you can see the lights from Helicopter, catching one from the heli pad at Eastern Green, Penzance.

Well according to according to the Channel 4 programme Britain’s Favorite Holiday, Devon and Cornwall is beating Spain and Greece as the top Holiday destination.

I have read that last year 6,300,000 people visited the two counties, almost 500,000 more than the second place destination. This trade bought Devon and Cornwall £2bn.

It seems that the beaches, cottages, hotels and quality bed and breakfast accommodation are not all people want. Memories are driving people to the region. Enjoying an ice cream thinking about the old times and revisiting the old haunts is the driving factor.

We need to keep this up know and cash in on this making Devon and Cornwall the top location for years to come.

Porthleven is a small fishing town located in the South west of Cornwall. Almost on the Lizard, Porthleven has a delightful harbour with working fishing boats, pubs, restaurants and gisft shops. The town offers a beach and a reef break for those keen on the surf. For the outdoors type Penrose House has lovely walks and is just a 5 min drive from the harbour not to mention the coastal paths.

I fish regularly from the harbour arm in Porthleven and it’s a successful spot. Many anglers prefer the renowned Loe Bar, just 20 mins walk away. There is a bait shop in town.

The Cornish town of Porthleven is a great holiday destination. There are many Cornish holiday cottages in the town available for rent, married with the resources the town offers its an ideal holiday destination for the whole family.

It is only a few miles from Helston, about 14 miles from Penzance and 16 miles from Falmouth.

What should you expect from a Holiday Cottage in Cornwall?

In brief you should expect to arrive at your Holiday cottage and find it clean and tidy. Basic cutlery and kitchen equipment should be provided for you this includes a fridge but not always a washing machine.

The furniture should be serviceable and clean. Items should reach basic British safety standards. Linen may be provided for an extra fee in the holiday cottage, but many holiday lets now provide this service in the rental fee.

Holiday cottages in Cornwall are generally in rural location so make sure you have basic food items with you, and be prepared to visit the nearest town to stock up on meals and booze.

The cottage its self should be in good state of repair and offer you sound and comfortable accommodation. If you have any concerns at all contact the agents or owners of the holiday cottage and inform them of your concerns. If this is not possible then video or photograph the aspects of the cottage you are unhappy with to validate your complaint at a later stage.

Above all enjoy your stay in your selected holiday cottage in Cornwall and come back soon.

Available from 23-12-2006 to 30-12-2006

XMAS AVAILABILITY 10% DISCOUNT

This article is meant as a guide only. Advice should be taken from a qualified person.

Letting a fully furnished holiday home in the UK may mean the income made is treated differently than other rental income. Holiday lets are considered a business, where as other property letting income is classed as investment income.

The are some tax incentives for holiday lets, but your accommodation must comply with inland revenue rules, referred to as “QUALIFYING TESTS” which are:

* Based in the UK.

* Furnished rental accommodation.

* Available for holiday letting to the public for at least 140 days a year.

* Actually let as a holiday let for at least 70 days a year (and
these must be commercial lets, not at cheap rates to friends and
family).

* Your occupier cannot stay for more than 31 days in any 7 month period.

* Lets must be at the full market value. This means letting your
cottage to family for £2 a week will not count.

And holiday lets must be (both):

* Short term lets of not more than 31 days.

* The only lets over a period of at least seven months.

Your income from you holiday let is subject to income tax, but you can off-set expenses for example:

* Repairs and maintenance.

* Decorating.

* Heating & lighting.

* Legal and letting agent’s fees.

* Management fees and cleaning costs.

* Insurance.

* Mortgage interest payments.

If you make a loss, you can off-set this against your other income to reduce your tax bill. You can avoid paying capital gains tax on the sale of the property if you roll-over the income within 3 years to another holiday letting property.

There are other advantages, and as stated before, take professional advice before heading into holiday letting. There are many mortgages available for the buy to let market and spending some time with a well regarded mortgage advisor would be in your best interest