The rules apply to hotels, bed and breakfasts and guest houses in Great Britain: businesses offering serviced overnight accommodation.
Liability for guests' property
The Hotel Proprietors Act 1956 — which extends to England, Wales and Scotland — makes a "hotel" (an establishment offering food, drink and sleeping accommodation to any traveller who appears able and willing to pay) strictly liable for guests' property. Guest houses and B&Bs that reserve the right to choose their guests fall outside the Act — but then carry ordinary negligence liability without its limits. You can limit the Act's liability by displaying the statutory notice in the form set out in the Act at or near reception. Without it the limits do not apply.
Guest records
The Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972 is still in force: every guest aged 16 or over must give their name and nationality, guests who are not British, Irish or Commonwealth citizens must also provide passport details and their next destination, and you must keep the records for at least 12 months. Those records are personal data, so UK GDPR duties apply to how you store them.
Premises safety where people sleep
Sleeping accommodation raises the bar on premises duties. In England and Wales your fire risk assessment must be recorded in full (a duty on all responsible persons since 1 October 2023) and reflect that guests sleep on the premises and do not know the building. Annual gas safety checks, periodic electrical inspection (five-yearly EICRs are the private rented sector standard and good practice for guest accommodation), and a legionella risk assessment for the water system all apply. The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (Martyn's Law) will add preparedness duties for premises with a capacity of 200 or more when those duties come into force, expected in 2027.
Access, televisions and guest-facing duties
As a service provider you owe reasonable adjustments to disabled guests under the Equality Act 2010 — anticipatory duties that cover booking, access and the rooms themselves. A Hotel and Mobile Units Television Licence covers the first 15 units of guest accommodation, with an additional fee for every further five or fewer.
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Display the statutory liability notice
Put the Hotel Proprietors Act notice up at reception before you take your first guest — the liability limits only apply while it is displayed.
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Set up your guest register
Capture name and nationality for every guest 16 or over (passport details and next destination for non-British, Irish or Commonwealth guests). Keep records 12 months.
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Get the safety paperwork in order
Recorded fire risk assessment, annual gas safety check, electrical inspection cycle and legionella risk assessment — all before opening.
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Register the breakfast service
Serving any food, including breakfast, means registering as a food business with your local authority at least 28 days before opening (free).
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Check your licences
A bar or honesty fridge selling alcohol needs a premises licence and a personal licence holder, TV licence cover for guest rooms, and music licensing if you play music in public areas.
Legal basis
Primary legislation and key regulations