Regulations and Requirements
Rules and regulations for owning and operating a bed and breakfast vary from country to country and even by region. In the UK specifically, you don’t need a particular degree, education or even license to own a bed and breakfast. Some regulations and requirements that you do need to keep in mind include:
- Fire Risk Assessment; to run or open a bed and breakfast, the chosen and selected property is required to undergo a fire risk assessment, and that may impact and require you to make modifications to your property or building.
- Local zoning; depending on where you are looking to open your bed and breakfast, you may be in what is known by the city or municipality as a tourist hotbed, and therefore there may be different organisations or fees to be aware of. You
may also be required to change the zoning of your property, as it will be used for commercial use and may have traditionally been residential. - Building codes; if you are not a well-versed construction expert aware of zoning laws, you may want to consult someone who does to help make sure your building is up to code and to know how to ensure that it stays that way.
- Liquor license; if you plan on serving guests alcohol, it can be expected that you will need appropriate licenses to do so.
- Food safety; depending on where you are located, there are different standards and requirements to be met which outline your compliance with food health and safety standards and regulation.
- Noise; if you are planning on having events or music, etc., some areas will require a license to be able to do this or to have noise past a specific time or particular volume.