Do holiday let owners have to keep a record of every guest?
The Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972 requires guests aged 16 or over at hotels and other premises where sleeping accommodation is provided for reward to give their full name and nationality, and requires the keeper to record it for at least 12 months. Whether it reaches a particular self-catering let is a question to check for your own property. Whatever you collect, UK GDPR says keep it to what you need.
What the 1972 order actually says
The nearest thing to a rule about recording guests is the Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972. On legislation.gov.uk it applies to "any hotel or other premises" where "lodging or sleeping accommodation is provided for reward", except premises certified by the chief officer of police as used by a school, hospital, club or other institution.
Under the Order, every guest aged 16 or over must give the keeper their full name and nationality when they arrive. Guests who are not British citizens must also show a passport or similar document and say where they are going next. The keeper must record the date of arrival and the information given, keep the written records for at least 12 months, and keep them open to inspection by a constable or authorised person.
One caution: legislation.gov.uk shows this Order only in its original 1972 form, with no revised text. Check the current position before you rely on the detail.
Does it apply to a holiday cottage or Airbnb?
The wording is wide: "other premises" with "sleeping accommodation" provided "for reward". That page does not say whether a self-catering house, flat or cottage let to holidaymakers is meant to be included, and we have not found official guidance that settles it. Treat it as an open question for your own property.
The text we read does not set out separate rules for Scotland or Northern Ireland. If you let in Scotland, your short-term let licence has its own conditions, so read those as well. A local authority licensing team, your insurer or a solicitor can tell you how the Order is applied to lets like yours.
Many hosts keep a simple guest record anyway, because it also helps with emergencies, insurance claims and disputes about who stayed. That is general practice, not a legal instruction.
What to put on a guest record
Start with the items the Order names, then add only what you can justify. The first four below come from the Order. The rest are practical choices for a host.
- Full name of every guest aged 16 or over.
- Nationality of every guest aged 16 or over.
- Date of arrival and expected departure date.
- Next destination and identity document details for guests who are not British citizens, as the Order describes.
- Total number of guests, with the number of children, so you can check it against the booking.
- A contact number for the lead guest during the stay.
- An emergency contact, only if you want one and the guest agrees.
Keep it proportionate under UK GDPR
The ICO explains that personal data must be "adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary" for the purpose you collect it for. It also says to review the data you hold periodically and "delete anything you no longer need".
In practice: decide why you are collecting each item, tell guests in your privacy notice, keep the records somewhere secure, and set a deletion date. If the 1972 Order applies to you, its 12 months is the minimum for the records it covers. If it does not, choose a period you can justify and stick to it. Copies of passports are a bigger risk to hold than a typed record, so ask whether you need a copy at all.
Platform bookings and group names
A booking platform usually gives you the name of the person who booked, not the name of everyone who will stay. If you want a full guest list, ask for it before arrival, ideally in your booking terms, and explain why. Check your platform's rules on collecting extra information outside the platform before you ask.
What a guest registration record should capture
A preview of our free Guest Registration Record. The complete, print-ready version is sent to you by email.
Property and booking
- Property name or address
- Booking reference
- + 3 more in the full form
Lead guest
- Full name
- Nationality
- + 3 more in the full form
Other guests aged 16 or over
- Guest 2: full name and nationality
- Guest 3: full name and nationality
- + 4 more in the full form
Identity and onward travel
- Is any guest not a British citizen?Yes / NoIf yes, note the document type and number checked, and the guest's next destination
- Was a copy of any document taken?Yes / NoIf yes, say where it is stored and when it will be deleted
Privacy and retention
- Guest has been shown the privacy noticeYes / No
- Date this record will be deletedDate
- + 2 more in the full form
The full form has 22 questions in 5 sections, a signed declaration and space for your business details. Get it free below.
Free template
Get the print-ready Guest Registration Record
A print-ready sheet to record each guest party: names, nationality, arrival and departure, group size and contact details, with a privacy statement and both signatures. Free, and yours to adapt.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to ask every guest for ID?
The Order as published describes document details for guests who are not British citizens, and says nothing that we read about photocopying. Data minimisation points the same way: record only what you need, and ask whether a typed note is enough. Check how the Order applies to your let before deciding.
How long should I keep guest details?
If the 1972 Order applies to your premises, the keeper must keep the written records for at least 12 months. If it does not, there is no single period: choose one you can justify, put it in your privacy notice and delete the data when it expires.
Do children need to be recorded?
The Order's name and nationality duty is for guests aged 16 or over. For younger guests, a headcount is usually enough for safety and booking checks, which also keeps the personal data you hold down.
Can I refuse a booking if a guest will not give their details?
That is a matter for your booking terms. If you need guest details for the stay, say so before the guest books, explain why, and ask them to agree to it. Get advice if a particular case is disputed.
Sources
- The Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972, legislation.gov.uk
- Principle (c): Data minimisation, Information Commissioner's Office
The paperwork behind every booking
Holiday let agreement, cancellation and deposit policy, house rules, noise policy, GDPR notice and more as editable templates. One payment, no subscription.
See the packs, from £29 →These articles are general guidance for UK holiday let owners and hosts, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Holiday let rules differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check the position for your property. Our documents are editable templates to adapt to your own lets.