House rules & guest information

What you need to know

The plain-English guidance that comes with this document.

• This sheet does two jobs — welcome, and safety. The friendly half (wifi, bins, check-out) keeps guests happy and cuts down on "how do I…" messages. The emergency half is the guest safety information your fire risk assessment requires you to provide. Leave a printed copy in the property where guests will actually see it — a folder on the side or a frame on the wall.
• The emergency information is a fire-safety requirement, not a nicety. Guests don't know your property — where the exits are, where the alarms and stopcock are, where to gather. Fire safety law for guest accommodation expects you to give them this. Fill in the blanks specifically for your property; vague isn't good enough.
• Put the gas emergency number and CO guidance in — it can save a life. Carbon monoxide is the silent risk in holiday lets with gas or solid-fuel appliances. Tell guests where the CO alarm is and exactly what to do if it sounds. The National Gas emergency line (0800 111 999) is the right number for a suspected gas leak.
• House rules prevent the two things that upset neighbours: parties and noise. A clear, friendly "no parties/events, only the named guests, quiet after 11pm" is your best protection against the unauthorised-party problem — and it ties back to your booking terms. Keep it warm, not preachy.
• Say it once, consistently, everywhere. Whatever you put here (pets, smoking, numbers) should match your booking terms and your listing. Contradictions cause arguments and weaken your position if a deposit deduction is ever challenged.
• Keep it current per property. Update the wifi password, bin day and contact number whenever they change — a sheet with the wrong bin day is worse than none. Review the safety details after any change to the property.
• Adapt freely — this is your voice to guests. Make it sound like you, add the local recommendations that make a stay special, but don't drop the emergency section. That part earns its place.