New guidance urges holiday let owners keep York safe, welcoming and considerate

New guidance to help the owners and managers of holiday lets and self-catering accommodation keep the city safe and welcoming has been published today.

Recently awarded a Purple Flag which recognises a safe and thriving night-time economy, York regularly tops the list of best places for a staycation in the UK. The proportion of visitors staying in York’s self-catering accommodation has risen from six percent in 2016, to 19 percent in 2022.

The guidance published today is designed to help holiday let landlords know the steps they should take, to both stay the right side of the law and encourage visitors staying at their property to be considerate of neighbouring residents.

York has published a breadth of advice and guidance which addresses issues covering a range of landlord responsibilities, including:

• Whether to seek planning permission
• Whether the landlord pays business rates
• How to keep guests safe in the property
• How to encourage guests to be considerate
• How to safely and appropriately dispose of waste.

The guidance is designed to help would-be holiday-let landlords carefully consider their holiday let business responsibilities and, while running the holiday-let business, to ensure they continue to promote a safe, welcoming and considerate environment.

Cllr Denise Craghill, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Communities, said: “This guidance is aimed at providing clarity to the sector and to anyone considering opening a new holiday let. Whilst the Government is currently considering national regulation of holiday lets, we are very mindful of the impact they can have on local residents and neighbourhoods and we are doing what we can locally to support residents. The guide will help to ensure that anyone considering or running such a business is aware of their responsibilities.”

Cllr Ashley Mason, Executive Member for Economic Development and Strategy, said: “We want to ensure that the owners of holiday accommodation are aware of their responsibilities and have the right advice that would enable them to make their businesses a success.

“This guidance aims to support holiday lets being rented out in a manner which is welcoming and considerate, compliant and safe for the whole community.”

Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said: “One of the many reasons why York is such an attractive place to visit is due to the diverse range of top-quality accommodation on offer, from hotels to B&Bs and self-catering.

“We have some brilliant holiday let properties in York, which strive for excellence. However, it is important that others don't let the sector down. 

“We welcome the guidance from City of York Council to further improve York’s accommodation offer for visitors and support owners and managers.”

See the guide at www.york.gov.uk/HolidayLets