How to book accommodation for a work crew

Booking a place for one person is easy. Booking for a crew of six, on a job that might run for three weeks or three months, is a different thing. A house that looks right in the photos can still leave two people sharing a bed, the vans parked a street away, and everyone eating takeaway because the kitchen has two plates and a kettle.

Here’s what to check, in the order it tends to go wrong.

1. Beds, not bedrooms

A “4-bedroom house” can sleep four people or ten. For a crew, what matters is how many separate beds there are, and whether anyone would have to share a double. Most workers won’t, and they shouldn’t have to. When you message a host, ask for the bed layout room by room: singles, doubles, sofa beds.

Ask the host: “Can you confirm the beds in each room, and that every person gets their own bed?” It takes a host a minute to answer and saves an awkward first night.

2. Parking that fits your vehicles

Vans, trailers and pickups don’t fit everywhere. Check whether parking is on a driveway or on the street, how many vehicles it takes, and whether there are height or permit restrictions nearby. If your vans carry tools, off-street parking is worth paying for.

3. A kitchen people can actually cook in

On a long job, a proper kitchen is the difference between a crew that eats well and one that spends its allowance on takeaways. Look for a full-size fridge, an oven and hob, enough pans and plates for everyone, and a washing machine — work clothes need washing more than once a week.

4. Distance to site, at the hour you travel

Ten miles can be fifteen minutes at 6am and fifty at 8am. Check the route at the time your crew will actually be driving it, and think about the drive home too.

5. Check-in that works with your shifts

Crews often arrive late, or in two groups. Self check-in — a key safe or smart lock — means nobody waits outside for a host. If the place uses a keyholder instead, agree an arrival time before you book.

6. Paperwork for your accounts team

When you pay on Nezt you can add your company name and VAT or tax number at checkout, and download a receipt for every booking afterwards. If you need invoices sent to a particular address or person, say so to the host when you book.

Let hosts come to you

For a team, searching listing by listing is slow. On Nezt you can post a request instead: where the work is, the dates, how many people, and what you need — separate beds, parking for two vans, a washing machine. Hosts nearby are told about it and send you offers with their price. You compare them side by side, message hosts with questions, and accept the one that fits.

1. Post a request with the location, dates, number of people and anything you can’t do without.
2. Hosts nearby send offers, each with its own price and expiry date.
3. Compare them and ask hosts questions in messages.
4. Accept the offer that fits and pay — in full, or half now and half later on eligible stays.

For longer jobs

If the job runs for months, look at the cancellation policy for long stays — on Nezt, stays of 28 nights or more follow the host’s long-term policy — and at paying monthly, which is available on stays of 60 nights or more.