About the business
LeisureRentalsDirect.com peer-to-peer booking platform that connects owners with guests looking to rent motorhomes, campervans, RVs, static caravans, and lodges across the UK. Owned and operated by Rental Group Ltd Registered in England No.7896244
Since launching in 2012, we have built a bespoke online platform that streamlines communication, bookings, and reviews, making the rental process seamless for both owners and guests. Over the years, we have developed a large network of trusted owners who rent their vehicles and holiday homes through our platform.
Business Model
Owners can choose from three different account types when listing their rentals on our platform:
- Fully Managed – We handle the entire booking process, collecting full payment from the guest and releasing funds to the owner 24 hours after check-in.
- Part Managed (Verification Required) – We collect an upfront service fee and provide the guest’s details to the owner, allowing them to manage the booking directly.
- Self Managed (Verification Required) – Owners pay a subscription fee to list on our platform and manage bookings independently, using their own payment methods.
How we make money
Our revenue comes from multiple streams, depending on the account type chosen by rental owners:
- Fully Managed – We charge the customer a £20 booking fee plus commission on the booking, and we also charge the owner a commission.
- Part Managed – We charge the customer a £20 booking fee plus commission on the booking.
- Self Managed – Owners pay a yearly subscription fee to list their rentals and manage bookings independently.
This flexible pricing structure ensures we provide value to both owners and guests while maintaining a profitable business model.
Marketing
Our platform is built with a highly optimised localised SEO strategy, ensuring that listings appear in relevant search results for users looking for rentals in specific locations. Over time, we have refined this approach to maximise visibility for both owners and guests, driving 100% organic traffic and increasing booking opportunities.
In addition to SEO, we utilise Facebook Pixel to build a large audience of users interested in leisure holidays. This allows us to run targeted marketing campaigns on Facebook, reaching potential customers who are most likely to book through our platform.
Day to day running
The business operates from an office-based environment with minimal manual intervention, as our system is highly automated. Daily tasks include:
- Listing new rental properties from owners
- Processing bookings and handling cancellations
- Managing general customer support inquiries
We do not operate a phone line; all communication is handled via email and the messaging system on the owner’s dashboard, ensuring efficient and streamlined support. Our automation significantly reduces workload, making the platform easy to manage. Additionally, the business is relocatable and can be operated from anywhere in the world, offering flexibility and scalability.
Financial Insights
For financial insights, please contact us
Customer and Market Insights
Traffic and User Engagement:
The majority of our traffic is derived from Google’s organic, localised search results, ensuring that our platform is visible to users actively seeking rental options in specific UK locations.
- 2023-2024 Active Users (Site Traffic): 428k
- 2024-2025 Active Users (Site Traffic Traffic): 406k
This still represents a solid and engaged audience base. Continued efforts in SEO and other marketing strategies can easily recover and even surpass these figures in the future.
Scalability
The business currently collaborates with most of the major UK motorhome rental companies, providing a strong foundation in the industry. Moving forward, we see significant growth potential by offering Hire & Reward insurance, which would open up opportunities for non-business owners who wish to rent out their own motorhomes.
This would create a new customer segment, allowing individuals to enter the rental market without the need for a business background. By integrating this service, we could further broaden our customer base and create a seamless process for personal motorhome owners to rent out their vehicles, thereby expanding our platform's reach and increasing rental volume.
The caravan and lodge category on our platform is a recent addition, and we see significant potential for growth in this area. With the right targeted marketing campaign, we believe we can attract a large number of new owners looking to list their caravans and lodges.
Options to Increase business
We have been approached by several insurance companies with opportunities to sell Hire & Reward insurance, Damage Deposit Excess insurance, and Breakdown Cover insurance. However, we have not yet pursued these offers, leaving a potential revenue stream untapped. Exploring these partnerships could provide additional value to our owner base while generating new income for the business.
More About the Platform
LeisureRentalsDirect.com is powered by a database-driven platform, built on a robust framework using the latest technologies, including Laravel, Bootstrap, and Java. The platform is fully owned by us and is supported by a team of UK-based developers, with a comprehensive 24-hour, priority support package in place to ensure smooth operation.
While we handle some of the upfront development in-house, the core development of the platform is largely finalised, ensuring a stable and reliable system moving forward.
Business Transition and Support
We are committed to providing comprehensive support during the transition phase to ensure a smooth handover to the new owner. This includes training, knowledge transfer, and ongoing post-sale support to ensure continuity and success.
Additionally, we have a 24/7 priority support package with a team of UK-based developers. This contract will remain in place following the sale, offering the new owner dedicated technical assistance and ensuring that the platform continues to operate seamlessly.
Why we’d like to sell
The founder, James, has dedicated over 14 years to building and growing the business. Throughout this time, he has been deeply involved in every aspect of its development and success. However, after such a long period of commitment, he is now seeking a change in direction. James feels it is the right time to pass the business on to new ownership
