What you need to know about the inspection

The inspection process starts when the inspector arrives at the property. They will look at the exterior appearance to make sure the paintwork is in good order and that the car-parking areas, paths and grounds are well maintained and safe.

Units should be of substantial and durable construction, structurally safe and in good repair throughout, and of suitable design. They should be in good decorative order and kept clean and well maintained. Access roads, paths, gardens and surrounding areas should be well maintained.

Consider provision of parking with due regard to neighbours, traffic regulations and the fact that guests will not wish to carry baggage for long distances.

The owner/local agent needs to make arrangements for the arrival and departure of guests at the property.

Your Tourism NI Certificate and scale of charges for accommodation in each unit must be prominently displayed and easily seen by visitors before, or immediately after, they enter. Charges for extra facilities such as electricity, tennis court, hire of bikes or fishing tackle, etc, should also be displayed unless these are included in the rate. All charges should be inclusive of VAT, where applicable.

A selection of current leaflets, brochures, maps and other literature relating to your locality should be available.

As well as the name, address and dates of arrival/departure, you are legally required to record each visitor’s nationality. Many establishments keep a book of comments for completion by guests on departure to record hints, recommendations and observations helpful to future visitors.

In addition to inviting guests to leave a comment in your visitor book, providers are encouraged to direct guests to online review sites or Social Media platforms to post a review of their experience. Customer reviews can highlight positive experiences, verified tips and useful observations. Generating positive feedback may influence potential customers when researching or booking accommodation.

Any house rules you wish to be observed or any other information which would be of interest to guests/potential guests e.g. WIFI code, should be brought to the guests’ attention at the earliest opportunity. A guest information folder is a useful way to relay information and can be provided on guests’ arrival. This should also contain copies of instructions on operating equipment and other items.

The guest lounge, dining area and kitchen can be open plan or individual rooms.

All areas must be clean and in good decorative order. The furniture should be in good condition and of good quality. There should be sufficient seating in both the lounge and dining areas for the number of guests catered for in the unit.

The flooring must be of good quality and in good condition: wood, carpet or laminate.

There should be good lighting and the area should be of sufficient size to cater for the number of guests staying in the accommodation

We would recommend that the kitchen floor is washable i.e. tiles, wood, laminate or vinyl. The kitchen should be fit for purpose, ideally with fitted units in good condition, a cooker with ventilation, refrigeration and a washing machine (if a utility room is not provided separately). The kitchen should be equipped with crockery (matched), cutlery, saucepans and kitchen equipment. All should be in good condition with no cracks, chips or damage/scratches.

The bedrooms should be clean, in good decorative order and have sufficient beds for the number of guests staying in the unit. The bedrooms should contain sufficient furniture for the hanging and storage of clothing. Ideally each bedroom should contain good quality furniture, including a bed with a headboard, locker and lights on both sides of a double or in between the beds for a twin.

A dressing table or a chest of drawers with a mirror, and wardrobe/hanging space and a chair are also ideal.

The flooring should be of good quality carpet, wood or laminate. Some units may have vinyl flooring in the bedrooms.

Bedroom windows must have curtains or blinds which exclude light i.e. black-out blinds or curtains with black-out linings so that when the curtains are closed during the day, there is very limited light getting into the room.

The bathrooms must be clean and should contain a bath or shower facility with a toilet and sink, all in good condition with no chips or cracks. The bathroom must contain a toiletries cupboard and towel rail. Ideally the walls and floors should be tiled or have a suitable alternative finish e.g. PVC wall covering and vinyl flooring.

Most properties will provide a disposal bin (with lid), toiletries, towels, toilet roll holder and paper. There should be no discolouration on bathroom tiles or grouting, or on bath and shower seals.

Each unit should have sufficient lighting in all areas, ideally all light fittings should have shades and there should be reading lamps and bedside lights.

The unit should be cleaned after each letting or on a weekly basis where a letting is for more than one week. There should be a heating system in the unit capable of heating the unit to 18.5°C; this can be oil, electric, solar, gas or any other method of heating.

There should be storage provided in the unit for clothing and bed linen and other household articles i.e. ideally vacuum cleaner and ironing board storage, a linen cupboard, wardrobe and dressing tables etc. in bedrooms.

The accommodation should be under the supervision of a person capable of the efficient management of the unit, this would include the management of bookings etc.

A welcome pack may be provided which could include essential items (e.g. milk, tea, coffee, salt, pepper, cooking oil, tin foil and cling film), ideally some local home-made produce, possibly a starter pack for an open fire, a supply of towels, hand soaps and toilet rolls in the bathrooms, cleaning materials for the bathrooms and kitchens, and a supply of washing-up liquid and dishwasher tablets sufficient to get them started.

This should provide emergency numbers (doctor, dentist, hospital, and police station, plus the phone numbers for the property owner/manager), information on working the equipment in the unit, a full copy of the terms and conditions for the property rental, an evacuation procedure, local/regional tourist information and information on local amenities including visitor attractions and restaurants and shops etc.