Are You Paying Hidden Commission on Your Holiday?

Are your finances feeling a little stretched at the moment? That's probably a rhetorical question for most of us, so here's another one:

Do you know whether you're paying commission on your self-catering holiday?  If the answer is no, you're not alone. Most of the major holiday booking platforms charge commission or service fees: Sometimes the fee is added directly to your booking, other times it's deducted from what the owner receives.

What surprises many people is that these charges are often hidden meaning you have no idea how much extra you are paying. Depending on where you book, the commission can range from around 7% up to 27%.

And yes, that upper figure is not a typo, it can be 27%.

Not long ago, most owners paid an annual subscription to advertise their property and then dealt directly with guests. Those subscriptions typically cost no more than a few hundred euros per year but ow, with some commission-based platforms, almost a third of what guests pay can disappear in fees before the owner receives a penny (or cent on our case).  For a peak-season week at Eco-Gites of Lénault, that would mean losing around €189 in commission alone. Most people wouldn't be happy if their employer suddenly announced a 27% pay cut, yet that's effectively what some holiday home owners face.

Like any small business, owners have to absorb those costs somehow. Often, that means increasing prices to cover at least part of the commission. Either way, the outcome is the same:

You pay more, we receive less.

How Can You Tell If Commission Is Being Charged?

If you're not booking directly through an owner's website, here are some signs that you could end up paying commission:

• The only option is "Book Now" or instant booking, with no enquiry or request-to-book option.
• There is no link to the owner's website.
• There is no owner's phone number on the advert.
• Payment is made through the platform rather than directly to the owner.
• The price breakdown might include a service fee.
• The property is listed under a generic title such as "Rural Gite in Calvados" rather than its actual name.
• The platform doesn't explicitly state that it is commission-free.
• The "Advertise With Us" section refers to commissions or booking fees charged to owners.
• Some platforms make this information difficult to find, requiring owners to complete forms or contact sales teams before revealing their fee structure. Guests are often kept completely in the dark.

How to Book Direct

Like most owners, we advertise on commission-charging platforms because they help us reach a wider audience and we understand why many guests use the major booking sites too. However, once you've found a property you like, why not then become a detective and see if you can track down the owner's website so you can book direct.

Here's a few useful tricks we have used to find an owner's website:

• Do a reverse image search using one of the listing photos.
• Search online using a distinctive phrase from the property's description.
• Read the description and see if the real name of the property is added somewhere.
• Look on local tourist information websites.
• Zoom in on Google Maps around the property's location. The map pin may link directly to the owner's website or provide contact details.

It may take a few extra minutes, but booking direct can often save you money. It will also give you direct contact with the owner and means you'll have more money to spend on those holiday essentials like a good meal out, tasty salted caramel ice cream or souvenirs of a wonderful holiday in Normandy.

I think it is fairly obvious to say that as an owner, we really appreciate direct bookings. We've even been known to do a little happy dance when one comes through. So if this post has opened your eyes then please share it so more people can be aware of hidden commission costs. Thank you.