Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

We plan to spend Oct- May in Spain and the summer months in the UK. We are selling up in the UK so won't have a base. We have family ties in London and Bath. Holiday accommodation is expensive. We don't mind where we live so much. Is anyone else in this position and have any suggestions for places in the UK where three month lets are available and not priced for the holiday market. Or other solutions - though I'm not sure we can live in a tent/camper van that long.

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

A house swap, maybe? There are plenty of sites advertising these, like

HomeExchange - World's #1 Home Swap Platform

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

More to the point - how are you planning to live legally in Spain Oct-May?

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

Oh, I wasn't expecting to be challenged. My wife is Spanish.
Do you actually have anything to add to my question?

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

Many people are unaware of the post-Brexit implications of planning to spend extended periods in Spain. You obviously are, which is good.

I have no interest in challenging you.

I am interested in any possible solutions as I am finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the Spanish summers and the high temperatures.

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

OK, fair enough.

I've had a few thoughts.

A park home would mean I could leave stuff there all year round but they are complicated assets that depreciate and have loads of fees and some dodgy practices on the past of owners.

I don't fancy trying to knit together three, one-month house swaps as I guess finding one house swap for three months wouldn't be easy.

There are some short-term lets advertised on right move - which is the best I've found so far, but I've never tried actually doing. We may rent one in September so I might know more after doing that.

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

I would not touch a park home with a barge pole - a friend of mine had a very bad and expensive experience. There was a report on the BBC Radio 4 consumer programme the other day, with people complaining.

Not sure there is an easy solution - I am Costa Blanca based so an escape to Galicia/Asturias would suit me.

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

I am in a similar position and considering at buying a narrow boat, pottering around the canal network from May to October. then back to Spain. The boat and contents would go into winter storage.

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

Try Galicia, Cantabria, Asturias, País Vasco, or the Pyrenees.

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

A few ideas here from CoPilot !

1. Look for Off-Season Student Rentals

• Where: University towns (e.g., Exeter, Durham, Lancaster, York, Cardiff, Nottingham).
  
• When: Many student homes are empty between mid-June and late August.
  
• Benefits: Furnished, cheaper than holiday lets, longer stays accepted.
  
• Platforms: OpenRent, SpareRoom, Rightmove (student section), local letting agents.
  

2. Use OpenRent or Gumtree (Not Airbnb)

• Airbnb and holiday sites inflate prices.
  
• OpenRent.co.uk – filters for 1–3 month stays, direct landlord contact.
  
• Gumtree – old school but often has unfurnished/flexible rentals.
  
• Facebook Groups: Search “[town/city] rentals” or “UK long lets”.
  

3. Look Outside Tourism Hotspots

• Skip the Cotswolds, Cornwall, Lake District, and Devon.
  
• Instead try:
  • Lincolnshire Wolds
    
  • Shropshire
    
  • North Yorkshire towns (like Ripon or Thirsk)
    
  • Worcestershire / Malvern Hills
    
  • Scottish Borders (Melrose, Kelso, Peebles)
    

4. Consider House Sitting or Pet Sitting

• You stay for free, often with beautiful homes.
  
• TrustedHousesitters.com or HouseSittersUK.
  
• Some stays are 2–3 months.
  
• Great for couples or retirees with flexibility.
  

5. Contact Local Letting Agents for “Break Clauses”

• Ask for 6-month Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) with a 3-month break clause.
  
• Some landlords prefer this to holiday lets, especially in towns with slow summer demand.
  
• They may not list online as short-term, but agents can arrange it.

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

Hi,
I am a property landlord in the U.K., and I’m aware of the changing landscape of all aspects of rental property, short and long term. Which is getting challenging!

BUT

i have recently spent a lot of time in York (a beautiful but expensive place) and I have noticed that there are furnished rentals with all bills included available, they usually state minimum stay 3 months. Obviously these are quite expensive but if you registered with estate agents in certain areas (usually interesting tourist areas) they would chase you!

wishing you best of luck

regards
Al

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

Thanks for taking the time to write such a comprehensive answer. There are some really good suggestions here for me to think about.

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

A quick search on Airbnb putting in dates for next year in UK returned several hundred options. Longe4 Airbnb rentals often attract a discount which we did when travelling around Spain spending a month at a time in a location. Occasionally booking for a month was cheaper than booking for one/two weeks!

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

I have had a couple of excellent one month stays at great price with AB&B. However i have also booked them at great price with monthly discount to shortly after have it cancelled because price quoted on site isnt what owner actually wants for the property it can often be substantially more. Now if i am considering a 1 month stay i always check with owner that price is as quoted before booking.

Re: Finding affordable three-month summer lets in UK
 

Following this with interest. We are presently in Tarifa having decided that a week away from the Malaga summer heat and tourist influx was desperately needed. Very pleasant temperatures with a decent breeze and although busy the town is comfortable to be in.

Our plan for this year was to spend a total of 4 months touring the UK in the summer months on our motorbike. This had to change for medical and then residency renewal reasons so everything postponed to next year.

The thought of actually having a long-ish term uk rental to use as a base hadn’t really crossed our minds but will now have a look around to see what might be available in areas of interest.