This category is about all aspects of Holiday Home Letting and will be of interest to owners of holiday lets across the UK. As Holiday Home Insurance Specialists we are proud to share tips, guidance and articles.

Whether you own an individual holiday home or cottage or a holiday cottage complex our holiday home letting articles are for you. Subjects covered include taxation, online scams and regulations.

Check out these posts: Holiday Letting Terms and Conditions, Registration Schemes for Short Term Lets, Buying a Leasehold Apartment to Holiday Let, Holiday Lets and Tax – what you need to know.

Television Licences for Holiday Cottages

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Do you have a television in your holiday home?

Television Licences for Holiday CottagesMany of us will be familiar with needing a television licence for our own home, but as the owner of a holiday let or cottage complex, do you know which tv licence is required?

The majority of holiday cottages across the country will now contain at least one television and with the licensing authority making regular trips to accommodation providers, those not complying risk staring down the barrel of a hefty fine.

When are television licences for holiday cottages required?

You’ll need a license if visitors to your holiday home watch or record television programmes as they’re being shown on TV. This will include any device on which they’re being watched, for example televisions, laptops, or digital boxes.

Which licence will you need?

A single Television Licence costing £159.00 (price correct as of April 2021) known as a `Hotel and Mobile Units Television Licence‘ (hotel licence) will cover up to 15 holiday homes on a single site, such as a holiday cottage complex. If you have more than 15 holiday homes on a single site, there is an additional fee for every five extra homes (or fewer).

If a public road, highway or railway divides your premises, you will need to have a licence for each location. This will also apply to owners requiring television licences for holiday cottages in different geographical areas. Individual licences can be purchased with one annual payment under a Company Group TV Licence. If any of your properties are let to long term tenants they will need a separate licence of their own.

What if your holiday cottage is attached to your own home?

If your holiday let adjoins your home and is self contained it will still require its own hotel licence and will not be covered by the television licence for your own home.

What are the costs of getting it wrong?

Enquiry officers have a database of more than 30 million UK addresses and regularly make visits to premises. This includes holiday homes and cottages, where they suspect people may be watching television illegally.

Holiday homeowners without a valid Television Licence will be risking a fine of up to £1,000.

For more information on television licences for holiday cottages please visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk  

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to holiday letting owners across the UK. Our policy includes accidental damage for contents including televisions, audio and video equipment. Standard limits of £1500 per appliance apply, with a total per letting property of £5000. These limits may be increased for an additional charge. To find out how we can help and support your holiday home business, give us a call on 01237 429444.

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BBQ Safety for Holiday Home Owners

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Information for Holiday Home Owners Supplying BBQ’s to Guests

Lobster and Salmon Veggie Skewers.June 2014 was one of the warmest and driest in the past decade, worthy of a blog on BBQ Safety for Holiday Home Owners. Whilst in recent times the words ‘barbecue summer’ have become somewhat synonymous with an unfortunate Met Office prediction of a return to the summer sunshine of yester years only to be followed by one of the wettest summers on record.

As we all begin to flock to the end of the garden, desperately trying to take up a position in which we aren’t bellowed by wind driven charcoal smoke, what about your guests?

If you provide a BBQ for those visiting your holiday home its important to ensure it’s use is included within your risk assessment and also well communicated to guests.

Here are a few things for you to consider on BBQ safety for holiday home owners and to communicate to those enjoying your holiday let property:

General BBQ Safety for Holiday Home Owners – When was the last time you checked your Holiday Home BBQ?

  • It’s vital to make sure that your holiday home BBQ is checked on a regular basis, and that these checks are carried out more frequently during periods of heightened use.
  • Many holiday home owners will have play equipment such as trampolines in their garden.  It’s important that there is adequate space between these areas and where your BBQ is situated.
  • If your BBQ is usually stored inside, clearly indicate to visitors that it should have cooled completely and cleaned before being stored. Fires can often be started from the embers of a BBQ that has not been sufficiently cooled or extinguished and if they are allowed to continue to burn in a confined space poisonous carbon monoxide can build up and potential kill you or your guests.
  • Hot charcoal should never be thrown out immediately after a BBQ as the heat can melt plastic and cause fires.

The frustrations of getting the BBQ going – getting charcoal cooking

  • BBQ’s take time and preparation. In a world in which our fan oven can quickly reach 200 Celcius within minutes, it can at times seem frustrating waiting for your charcoal to reach cooking temperatures.

This can lead to the temptation of adding more charcoal to the fire or using accelerants in order to quicken the pace of the process. Guests should only use enough charcoal to cover the base of the BBQ and should never use accelerants such as petrol in order to fuel the fire.

  • If your BBQ set included things such as lighters these should only be used on cold coals and also kept well out of the reach of children in your holiday home.

Keeping your holiday home guests safe with gas

  • If you supply a gas BBQ for use by your guests this will pose different risks and safety procedures. You should first ensure that your gas cylinders and BBQ are kept in an appropriate place. This should be an area that is not tightly confined and be clearly designated as out of bounds for young guests.
  • Whilst we all hope for a long BBQ summer you should avoid keeping more gas than is necessary at your holiday home.
  • Guests should be encouraged to change cylinders outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. They should also ensure the tap is fully turned off before making any change.
  • If a gas leak is suspected try brushing soapy water around the joint or pipe.  If there is an issue bubbles will be visible. Tighten to fix any potential joint but avoid over tightening.
  • Guests should be encouraged to report any defaults or defects to your gas BBQ. It should also be checked by someone with the competent skills and experience on a regular basis. Have your gas BBQ serviced annually and safety checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer with the appropriate LPG endorsement.

For further information or if you require a quotation from a specialist for your holiday home insurance call our team on 01237 429444.

 

 

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Insurance Premium Tax

HMRC Let Property Campaign

HMRC launch tax initiative open to holiday homeowners

As a holiday home owner does getting the best possible terms on the tax you have to pay on your property sound like an attractive proposition? HMRC Let Property Campaign allows those who haven’t declared letting income to do so!

HMRC Let Property CampaignWe’re currently highlighting the ‘Let Property Campaign’ being run by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that is open to those renting out a holiday home to paying guests and have yet to declare the income.

How do you get the best possible terms for your tax payment?

If you currently owe tax from the letting income gained from your holiday home you’ll need to declare that income by making what is called a voluntary disclosure to HMRC. In order to gain the best possible terms for your tax on this income you’ll need to do one of two things:

  • Complete the HMRC Let Property Campaign Notification form which you can access by clicking here – HMRC Let Property Campaign 
  • Call the Let Property Campaign Helpline on 03000 514 479 to discuss your options.

Once you have consulted the helpline or submitted your notification form you’ll have three months in which to pay your tax bill.

What do you do if you’re unsure if you need to declare tax under this scheme?

If you’re currently unsure if you have unpaid taxes for your let property or if you should be declaring taxes under this scheme you can visit this link – HMRC Let Property Campaign Questionnaire

You’ll answer a few simple questions and gain guidance on what you need to do that is specific to your circumstances.

The risks of not declaring tax on your holiday letting income

If you’ve made an error in paying or calculating your tax bill as a result of misunderstanding or deliberately paying the wrong amount it is strongly advised that you inform HMRC of any mistakes before they discover them.

The HMRC are actively cracking down on tax evasion by all landlords, whether residential or in this case those who rent out holiday homes. They’ll use information they have about the property, the marketplace and other information they hold on customers to identify people who might not have paid what they owe.

If you don’t make a voluntary disclosure now and HMRC finds out later, you could suffer higher penalties and face criminal prosecution.

Please remember this article is only a general outline of the tax schemes offered by HMRC. If you are looking for tax information or advice please contact HMRC directly or seek professional advices.

Useful Links:

Learn more about HMRC tax campaigns by watching this video 

The vast majority of holiday home owners who let their property reading this will already be declaring the income received after offsetting allowable running expenses such as their holiday home insurance premium. As holiday home insurance specialists we understand the needs of holiday letting owners and our policy includes valuable legal expenses cover for HMRC taxation investigations provided that the insured has taken reasonable care to submit complete tax returns within statutory time limits. For more information on how a specialist insurer can help and support your holiday home business, please give us a call on 01237 429444. 

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Marketing your coastal holiday home as surfing friendly

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Making small changes to your coastal holiday home will appeal to guests looking for surfing friendly holidays

iStock_000000176183MediumWith more than 7,000 miles between Britain and Hawaii it may seem the two are quite literally poles apart, if not only in terms of geography but also meteorologically given the potential inclemency of a British summer.

There is however one unifying factor; our continued and growing love for surfing.  Whilst the sport was first introduced to the world by Polynesians from Tahiti and Hawaii more than five centuries ago, the United Kingdom has now become something of a spiritual home to surfing, offering some of the best breaks in the world with large appeal for those seeking a surfing friendly holiday..

No longer the fraternity of a bleach blonde elite, the sport is now attracting an increased and broadening demographic; whether it be families, children or grandparents, they’re all grabbing the board and learning the skills.

We take a look at how holiday homes can cater for those enjoying the waves on their surf, boogie or body boards when they get back from a day at the beach.

Providing your guests with information

You’ll want to make your guest’s lives as easy as possible.Ensure you have information in your cottage on tide times, the best local beaches and breaks to surf, along with relevant safety information and contact details for surf schools or services.

This information should also be incorporated into your website.  Feeds from places such as Magic Seaweed will be able to provide your visitors with up to date information without you having to provide it yourself.

Remember your website should be a content hub for your visitors, with all of the information they require to help them make their booking decision.

Storage and washing 

Enjoying the British sea for any great length of time will usually incorporate a wetsuit. Having somewhere for your visitors to wash down and hang their suits when they return from the beach is a low cost and great addition to your holiday home.

Outside Showers

With the beach comes the sand and unfortunately not all of it will be left at the beach!

Having an outdoor shower is an effective way of keeping the sand outside of your coastal holiday home.  If you have one of these showers ensure the plumbing allows for the water connection to be terminated from the inside.  Many holiday home insurance claims come from frozen pipes in the colder months and an outdoor shower is a prime target for this. Ensure that if your holiday home is unoccupied during the winter, the water to the shower is turned off to limit the chances of any potential damage.

You’ll also need to limit the risks of slips and trips by installing items such as anti-slip mats.

Storage areas

If your holiday home is of a size where you are able to designate an area for the storage of gear and boards then this is also a very good idea.  Look to utilise any outbuildings or storage facilities that you have to minimise the wear and tear on the interior of your holiday home.

Hire or bring Surf Boards

Encourage your guests to bring their own surfboards or provide information on where they can hire wetsuits and surfboards and book surfing tuition.  Guests should have their own liability insurance, which extends to surfing, either via their own home insurance policy or through membership of an association such as Surfing GB.

We recommend that holiday home owners don’t supply their guests with their own boards as the liability implications for the property owner are very high.

Boshers are specialist providers of insurance to holiday homes and cottages. For more information on how a specialist insurer can help and support your holiday home please give us a call on 01237 429444.

 

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solar panels

Eco Holiday Cottages and Solar Panels

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solar panels

Sustainable Tourism: The benefits of Solar

One of the most significant developments in the tourism sector over the past decade has been the continuing growth in demand for accommodation providers and owners of holiday cottages to be green and eco-friendly.

Now is the time of sustainable tourism.

Worldwide tourism accounts for an estimated 4% of all carbon emissions and of that figure a whopping 38% is attributed to international air travel.  This has brought about a sharper focus on the impact travel has on the world in which we live and a potential move toward more and more of us enjoying what Britain has to offer hopefully draws nearer.

The World Tourism Organisation recently found that one in three people now consider the environmental credentials of their potential destination, with 40% willing to pay a premium to stay in such accommodation.

Many holiday cottages have embraced their green credentials and identified opportunities to not only reduce carbon emissions but also costs.

With the British summer now promising to flourish into full bloom we look at the benefits of solar power for your holiday cottage.

Potential Cost Savings – The Feed in Tariff

The first thing to say is that the sun is free and with that there are potential cost savings for holiday homeowners.  This is not only in the form of reduced bills but also through the government’s Feed in Tariff.  This provides payment for all the energy produced by the solar panels at your holiday home. You will have first call on the electricity generated by the solar panels with any surplus fed back into the grid.

Shouldering the cost of energy

You won’t always be able to control if your visitors turn the lights off before they go out for the day, if they leave the heating on at a high level or the television running in the living room.

Potential energy bills can continue to creep upwards as an increased number of holiday homeowners begin to fill ‘shoulder’ months when the weather can be colder and the bills higher; 60% of energy costs are attributed to heating and water.

Solar power has been proven to reduce heating costs, which can directly increase the margins of profitability for your holiday home.

Reducing your carbon footprint

As we’ve already highlighted there is an increased visitor awareness of the carbon footprint holiday cottages have.  Solar systems have been estimated to reduce the carbon emissions of the average holiday home by in excess of one tonne of C02 over the course of a year.

That’s the same amount of CO2 emitted by a flight taking off from London Heathrow and touching down at Sydney International airport!

Selecting a supplier

The cost of solar panels and their installation has dropped significantly during the past few years, which has made it an even more viable option for many holiday homeowners.  As renewable energy is such a fast moving market it is suggested that you get more than one quote when looking at installing solar panels on your holiday cottage to ensure you get the most competitive price. The Energy Savings Trust have really useful resources and offer impartial advice including a `find an installer’ facility. Visit their website and select England, Wales, Scotland or Norther Ireland depending on where your holiday home is located.

The insurance Implications

There are insurance implications associated with having solar panels on your holiday cottage.  You’ll need to ensure the buildings insurance definition in your holiday home insurance policy is wide enough to cover damage to the solar panels due to an insured peril such as storm damage.

All holiday homeowners enjoying specialist holiday home insurance provided by Boshers are covered for this as standard in their policy.

Boshers are specialist providers of insurance to holiday homes and cottages.  For more information on how a specialist insurer can help and support your holiday home please give us a call on 01237 429444.

 

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Holiday Cottage

Business Rates for Holiday Cottages

Holiday CottageRateable Values: Your Holiday Cottage

If we said 140 days to you would this seem a long period of time?

That’s a little over four and a half months or in terms of the tourism season, approximately the length of time between this year’s Easter Sunday and the return to the classroom of many children across the country in early September.

The vast majority of holiday cottage owners in England will have their properties available during this period and beyond. As a result the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) will assess them for a rateable value. A process which is used In order to establish the level of business rates for holiday cottages.

What is a Rateable Value?

The rateable value of a property is a professional assessment of the annual rent your holiday cottage could obtain. It’s a key factor used by your Local Authority to calculate the level of business rates you should be paying.

If your holiday cottage is let for more than 140 days in a financial year then it will be assessed for a rateable value.

What is taken into consideration when calculating the ratable value of your holiday cottage?

When assessing property such as offices, shops or other industrial premises there is a wide range of rental evidence from which Local Authorities can compare, contrast and establish rateable values.

The VOA explain that because very few locations have this level of rental evidence for holiday cottages they often need to use other methods in order to establish a ratable value, such as the gross receipts your cottage takes during the valuation period. This allows them to build a picture of the potential income your cottage could make and in doing so, establish what someone would otherwise pay in rent for the property.

They may also take into consideration the type, size, location and the quality of accommodation your property provides when making calculations.

How is this information gathered?

If you have a holiday cottage that should be rated then you’ll need to complete a ‘Request for Information’ form.

The V06048 form has been designed specifically for holiday cottages and self-catering units, with the questions designed to take into consideration differences in tariffs, marketing, levels of service and other factors such as quality of furnishings.

The overall aim of the form is to establish the income you gain from the property and the level of expenditure required to achieve that income.

What do you do if you believe that your rating is wrong?

If you believe the ratable value of your holiday cottage is incorrect you should contact your local Valuation Office. If you’re still unsatisfied with your rating you’re able to launch an appeal, which is known as making a ‘proposal’ to alter the rating list.

You can make a single appeal to the rateable value of your holiday cottage during the ‘life’ of the rating list, which usually lasts for five years (the current list runs from April 2010 to 31 March 2017).

To appeal against your listing you can visit www.voa.gov.uk or by obtaining a form from your local Valuation Office. Other points to note are that non-domestic rates or business rates are an allowable expense and therefore tax deductible for income or corporation tax purposes. Any owners accommodation should remain subject to council tax.

Boshers are specialist providers of insurance for holiday homes and cottages. For more information on how a specialist insurer can help and support your holiday home please give us a call on 01237 429444.

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Impress your holiday let guests with a welcome pack app

Coponis - the welcome pack app for holiday let guests

Coponis – the welcome pack app for holiday let guests

Impress your holiday let guests with a welcome pack app. www.Coponis.com takes the traditional ‘Welcome Information Pack’ provided to guests at self-catering accommodation and utilises technology to put that information (and much more) straight into the hands of the guest prior to their arrival.  This gives the guest clear and succinct information to enhance their stay, even before they make their trip.

Coponis’ first concern is to make sure that every guest has a stay that is as safe & comfortable as possible; whilst empowering them to make the most of their time at the accommodation by presenting them with all the information they could need, at the swipe of a finger or click of a mouse.

In providing information to guests in a clear, concise and easy to navigate format – exactly when they want it – the need for them to contact owners or management agents is reduced.  This not only enhances the guest’s experience hugely but also frees up the property owner’s and manager’s time.

Setting up a property on Coponis is smooth and straightforward for the property owner/manager, with step-by-step instructions to help with all levels of computer experience.  Once it’s set up they can completely manage all their customers’ stays simply and smoothly from then on.  Scheduling & inviting guests via the Coponis dashboard is quick and easy.  Once a guest has automatically received their own unique login details (on the Apps (Apple & Android) and/or on the website); they then have access to all of the Safety, Property and Local Information that they could possibly need.

Coponis not only helps the guests to find and access their accommodation, it keeps them safe, comfortable and happy, with instant access to all the facilities of their surrounding area.  In return, this frees up significant amounts of time for the owners/agents, puts everyone’s minds at rest (including Insurance Companies!) and ensures not only returning guests but reviews of customer satisfaction that will increase numbers of bookings.

Impress your holiday let guests with a welcome pack app and give them access to:

  • The property address
  • Directions to the property (if via the App it uses GPS to locate them and gives them a tailored map)
  • Information about their stay: including check in times, terms & conditions, rules etc
  • Where to park if they are travelling by car
  • The weather where they are staying
  • How to gain access to the property
  • How to use and operate equipment such as the heating system, the DVD player, the oven
  • How to deal with quirks, e.g. the back door which sticks so you have to lift and twist it to open…
  • What facilities are at the property
  • Where to eat, drink, visit, get cash out, shop, fill up the car, watch a film and more
  • Who to contact during the stay with any issues or compliments!
  • What to do in an emergency including how to escape if there is a fire, where the first aid kit is, how to turn the water off if there is a leak etc

Coponis founder, Dan Whiting, says “Having run a holiday let management company we saw the issues that owners and guests face and wanted to create a tool to cater for both their needs.  The safety of the guests and the properties is the main concern but we have developed the site and Apps to enhance the overall experience by providing all the information the guests need”

From initial testing of the system the feedback from guests and owners has been tremendously positive with all guests saying that hey want their next self-catering accommodation to have Coponis.  Owners saw a vast reduction in queries from guests (74% reduction) and an increase in guest review ratings on sites like TripAdvisor.

Although Coponis has plans to go international, initially they are pushing the launch nationally following a successful trial in Bath with The Bath Holiday Company.  Katie, manager at The Bath Holiday Company says “Not only has Coponis made me, as a manager, feel secure that our guests are safe & happy, it is also a great marketing tool.  Knowing that they can make the most of their stay in terms of places to visit, finding places they need (e.g. banks, pharmacies, grocers) is a huge asset to our business that gives us the edge over anyone who doesn’t have Coponis.  More guests coming back, happy customers and fabulous reviews from satisfied guests.”

Through it’s innovative use of digital media, Coponis places guests at its heart, engaging and informing them, thus resulting in a safer and more enjoyable self-catering holiday experience. We would like to wish Dan well with the launch of Coponis, he is keen to make this a success so whether you own a single holiday let or run a holiday letting agency managing hundreds of properties find out how you can `impress your holiday let guests with a welcome pack app’ give Dan a call today on 0207 018 7535.

For more information please visit: www.coponis.com

Follow this link for other posts similar to `impress your holiday let guests with a welcome pack app’ and useful resources for holiday home owners

For further information on UK holiday home insurance visit the website page most relevant to you:

Thank you for reading `impress your holiday let guests with a welcome pack app’.

 

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Home with holiday let annexe

Holiday Let Insurance for your annexe

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Holiday Let Insurance for your annexe

In this post we explore the subject of holiday let insurance for your annexe. It is becoming more and more common in popular rural and coastal self-catering holiday areas for owners of larger properties and empty nester’s to sub-divide their homes and let an annexe to guests holidaying in the area. In doing so, due consideration should be paid to the relevant planning and building regulations as well as the laws applicable to you as a landlord. Letting your annexe to guests can be financially rewarding although as with running any business it does have it’s risks. For your peace of mind you’ll want appropriate holiday let insurance for your annexe.

Holiday Let Insurance for your annexe

By taking advice on holiday let insurance for your annexe from a qualified adviser such as those in the Boshers holiday home insurance team, you will end up with building and contents cover without compromise and tailored to your individual needs. For a home owner with a self-contained holiday letting annexe or self contained detached holiday cottage in the grounds Boshers would look to provide you with comprehensive home insurance cover to meet your personal needs and running alongside a holiday home insurance policy to cover the contents of your holiday let together with cover for your liabilities as a holiday let owner and protection for loss of rental income in the event that you were to suffer an insured peril. Placing insurance for both your home and holiday let with the same insurer will save potential conflicts in the event of a claim. Should your home and annexe have an interconnecting door, you will be required to ensure that the door is fitted with a 5 lever mortice deadlock and kept locked so that guests do not have access to your home. For advice on holiday let Insurance for your annexe call our friendly team of holiday home insurance advisers on 01237 429444.

Holiday home annexe owners will also find the links below of interest:

For Self-Catering holiday cottage owners in Scotland, the Scottish Government has produced the following:

You may also find the following posts for holiday home owners of interest:

Follow this link for posts similar to Holiday Let Insurance for your annexe other useful resources for holiday home owners

For further information on UK holiday home insurance visit the website page most relevant to you:

 

 

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red wine stained carpet in holiday home

Damage by holiday let guests – who pays?

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red wine stained carpet in holiday home

Damage by holiday let guests – who pays?

Whilst letting your holiday home you expect an amount of general wear and tear such as scuffs on walls and the odd broken piece of crockery which you no doubt absorb into your general running costs. Occasionally your holiday home guests may cause more serious damage either accidentally or with malicious intent.

Damage by holiday let guests – who pays?

You’ll be wondering the best course of action to return your holiday home to its previous condition, to cause as little disruption as possible to forthcoming lettings and limiting your losses. In this article we delve deeper into the holiday home insurance frequently asked question, “Damage by holiday let guests – who pays?“. This may mean a holiday home insurance claim, although there are other options you may wish to explore first.

Holiday home booking conditions

An essential measure is to have in place holiday home booking conditions which hold the person(s) booking the holiday home responsible for the costs of any breakage or damage in or to the property. Communicating these terms clearly will focus your guests to treat your holiday home with the respect it deserves whilst enjoying their stay.

Security or damage deposits

There has been a move away from security or damage deposits in the holiday letting industry, although where used these can allow small sums to be recouped easily by withholding that proportion of the deposit. However if the loss or damage is greater than the security deposit the difference must still be sought from the guests who sometimes are confused, thinking the deposit in some way limits or waivers further liability.

Guests may have liability cover under their own travel or home insurance

For low value losses or damage you may well take the stance that you would rather absorb the cost than upset the relationship with your guest. For higher value losses where your guest has admitted liability, you may well wish to settle with them direct for replacement or repairs. Indeed the guests themselves may well be insured for such damage under the liability section of their own travel or home insurance policy on which they may choose to claim.

Holiday home insurance including accidental damage caused by paying guests

vase damaged by holiday home guests

Damage by holiday let guests – who pays?

Accidental damage rendering your holiday home unavailable to let, where the guest is not cooperative, or instances of malicious damage you would be best to put the matter in the hands of your holiday home insurer so that damage may be put right as quickly as possible with least disruption to future lets. This highlights the importance of having a policy which includes cover for accidental damage to your holiday home buildings and contents by paying guest and does not exclude malicious damage by them: You will be liable for the holiday home insurance policy excess and your insurers will recompense you the difference. Your insurer will not only work with you to minimise disruption, under subrogation they assume the right to recover the damages reimbursed from the party responsible, where financially viable to do so.

Additional guidance on damage by holiday let guests – who pays? and holiday home insurance advice and quotations are available from the Boshers Holiday Home Insurance Team on 01237 429444 or for further information visit holiday home insurance.

You may find the following holiday home insurance articles of interest:

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VisitEngland Tourism Accommodation and the Law

Tourism Accommodation and the Law

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VisitEngland Tourism Accommodation and the LawTourism Accommodation and the Law – A One Day Conference on Legislation Affecting Tourism Accommodation Businesses including self-catering holiday homes, cottages and apartments run as furnished holiday letting properties.

VisitEngland hosted the above conference in London on the 12th February 2013 to update attendees on recent and forthcoming legislation changes that affect tourism accommodation in England and no doubt also of interest to owners and operators across the rest of the UK. The conference was aimed at accommodation assessors, including National Quality Assessment Scheme franchises and local schemes, self-catering agents, destination managers, TIC managers, trade associations, tourism consultants and suppliers such as ourselves as specialist holiday home insurance advisers to the UK holiday letting market.

The day was split into two main sessions covering aspects of Tourism Accommodation and the Law, the morning one concerned with Rules and Regulations and the afternoon with Legal Duties and Responsibilities.

Rules and Regulations – in particular the topics covered included:

  • Trading Standards – including Consumer Protection from Unfair trading Regulations, Cancellation Policies, Terms and Conditions etc
  • Fire Safety Regulations – in particular the requirement for both a fire safety risk assessment and a fire safety policy for your guest accommodation
  • The Planning System – an interesting insight into a private and public sector inititive to improve the fortunes of Great Yarmouth
  • Music Copyright – clarification of Performing Right Society (PRS) licence requirements and reference also to the PPL and their licence requirements

Legal Duties and Responsibilities – topics covered included:

  • Discrimination, Equality and Human Rights – including an interesting presention on guests with Assistance Dogs
  • Terms and Conditions – highlighting the importance of writing your terms and conditions in plain english and avoiding legalese
  • The Digital Business – Wi-Fi data protection and the online environment including a snippett of information on the forthcoming Digital Economy Act and Defermation Bill

The day provided a great insight into the Laws affecting tourism accommodation. Look out for a series of blog posts of interest to holiday home owners over the coming weeks which will expand on some of the above areas, there effect on furnished holiday letting owners together with some solutions to challenges faced by you whilst managing your holiday home, holiday cottage complex or holiday apartments.

For further information on UK holiday home insurance visit the website page most relevant to you:

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