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Sykes Holiday Cottages and Sea Breeze are different kinds of company, and choosing between them is mostly a choice about who does the work. Sykes is a national letting agency: under its published standard terms it markets the property, takes bookings, collects payment and manages price, and it states commission of 18% to 22% plus VAT. Sea Breeze is a manager in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that also answers guests at any hour and arranges the cleaning, linen and repairs through local companies the owner pays directly, for 16% of booking revenue.
Everything said about Sykes below comes from its own website and its published owner terms, checked on 30 September 2026. Where Sykes does not publish a figure, this page says so.
What each company does
Sykes's standard terms list four services: marketing and advertising the property, negotiating and accepting bookings, collecting payments from holidaymakers, and managing the price. The same terms say other services may be offered at extra cost under a separate agreement. Those are its managed services. Sykes describes fully and partially managed packages covering cleaning, laundry, key collection and maintenance, carried out by supplier companies drawn from a catalogue of more than 350 changeover and property management firms.
Sea Breeze provides the letting and the day-to-day running as one service: listings on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and 20+ channels, pricing reviewed daily, guest messaging, check-in management, regular inspections, and arranging cleaning, linen and maintenance through trusted local companies. As with Sykes's managed packages, the cleaning, linen and repairs cost extra; the difference is that we book and coordinate them alongside the guests. The steps are set out on how it works and the full scope on our holiday let management page.
Commission and the fees around it
| Sea Breeze | Sykes Holiday Cottages | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | A flat 16% of booking revenue | 18% to 22% plus VAT (its stated range) |
| Set-up fee | One-off, taken from the first month's income | In the owner's key terms page. Not published |
| Annual fee | No retainer, no monthly fee | Due after six months, then yearly. Amount not published |
Sykes says its rate depends on the level of support an owner needs and on how much the owner uses the property. Because VAT is added, an owner who cannot recover VAT pays 21.6% to 26.4% of the booking value once it is included. We confirm our commission and any VAT in writing before you sign, and quote our one-off onboarding fee for your property at the same time.
The arithmetic behind headline rates, including VAT and the items that sit on top, is worked through in our guide to agency commission. Our own charges are on the pricing page.
Cleaning, linen and changeovers
This is the largest practical difference, though under both companies the cost of cleaning stays with the owner. Sykes's standard terms require the owner to keep the property clean, tidy and in good repair, and its guest help pages say owners arrange for properties to be cleaned and serviced between bookings. An owner who does not want that job can buy a managed service package; Sykes does not publish its prices.
Sea Breeze does not clean or launder itself, and cleaning, linen and laundry are not part of the 16%. We recommend trusted local companies for each, the owner pays them directly, and we arrange and coordinate them so each changeover fits the bookings. Owners who already have a cleaner or a linen supplier can keep them.
Guest support and complaints
Sykes handles enquiries, bookings and payments, and lists a 24/7 emergency helpline for owners and customers. Its terms also say the owner must respond to holidaymakers' queries and complaints, must have a representative available to go to the property at short notice, and alone remains responsible for dealing with complaints. Sykes may offer a guest compensation of up to 20% of the rental price and recover it from the owner.
Sea Breeze's guest support runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and covers lock-outs, late arrivals and emergencies. The owner is not the person who gets the call.
Contract, notice and exclusivity
Sykes's terms appoint it as the owner's only letting agent. To leave, an owner gives at least six months' written notice, which cannot end before the initial availability period in the key terms page. Bookings already taken for dates in the 12 months after notice must be honoured, and leaving early triggers an early cancellation fee whose amount is not published. The calendar is open for booking up to 24 months ahead.
Sea Breeze asks for 45 days' notice. Bookings already taken are honoured, or the owner pays the cancellation cost.
This is a comparison of published terms, not legal or financial advice. Read any agreement in full, and ask a solicitor if a clause is unclear.
Your own stays
With Sykes, an owner agrees a personal booking allowance in writing; the default tier is called Partial flexibility. Its terms say that going over the allowance can be charged at the commission Sykes would have earned, and its advice pages say the amount of time an owner uses the property can affect the commission rate.
With Sea Breeze, owners block dates in the owner portal. The clean after an owner's stay is charged to the owner.
Reach and local presence
Scale is where Sykes is ahead. It states a £35 million annual marketing spend, booking management across 700+ partner sites and 16 local brands, and as a national cottage-holiday brand it brings its own audience. An owner outside Dorset and Hampshire, or one who wants to do their own changeovers and only needs bookings, may be better served there.
Sea Breeze works from 557 Charminster Road in Bournemouth and has 100+ properties under management. We are an Airbnb Superhost, hold a Booking.com Traveller Review Award 2024, and are the highest rated property management company in Bournemouth on Google.
If you want to see what your property could earn before deciding, use the holiday let calculator.
