Free Short-Term Holiday Let Agreement Template

SHORT-TERM HOLIDAY LET AGREEMENT

Holiday Let  ·  Housing Act 1988 Sch 1 Para 9  ·  United Kingdom

This Short-Term Holiday Let Agreement (this "Agreement") is made on 2026-06-10 between Sarah Thompson (the "Host") and James Mitchell (the "Lead Guest") in respect of the short-term letting of the property identified below. This Agreement creates a holiday letting arrangement excluded from the assured tenancy regime by paragraph 9 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Act 1988. No tenancy, security of tenure or statutory periodic tenancy is created. The parties agree as follows:

The Host grants the Lead Guest a non-exclusive licence to occupy the property at Seagull Cottage, 3 Pier Road, Whitby YO21 3PU for holiday purposes only (Cottage). This Agreement does not create an assured or assured shorthold tenancy (Housing Act 1988 Sch 1 para 9) and no security of tenure under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 arises. The Host retains the right to provide housekeeping and access as reasonably required for the management of the property.

The letting shall commence on 2026-07-26 (check-in from 3:00 PM) and conclude on 2026-08-02 (check-out by 10:00 AM). The maximum number of guests permitted to occupy the property at any time is 4. The Lead Guest is responsible for all members of their party. Overstaying is a material breach entitling the Host to recover possession and charge the pro-rated nightly rate plus reasonable costs.

The total rental fee for the let period is GBP 1,260.00, payable in cleared funds in accordance with the booking confirmation. A refundable damage deposit of GBP 300.00 is also payable and will be returned within 14 days of check-out, less any properly evidenced deductions for damage beyond fair wear and tear, cleaning outside normal housekeeping, or unpaid charges. The damage deposit is held as stakeholder and is not a tenancy deposit within the meaning of the Housing Act 2004. The Host will provide a clear VAT-inclusive total in writing before check-in in accordance with the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Where the Lead Guest is a consumer, the Host provides its services with reasonable care and skill in accordance with section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Nothing in this Agreement excludes or limits any right of the Lead Guest under Chapter 4 of Part 1 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 2 of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 (death and personal injury), or any other right that cannot lawfully be excluded. The Host has informed the Lead Guest of the total price and the main characteristics of the service in compliance with the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

No pets are permitted, save for assistance dogs required under the Equality Act 2010. Smoking (including e-cigarettes and vaping) is strictly prohibited throughout the property. Breach is a material breach and the damage deposit may be forfeited to cover deep-cleaning costs. Quiet hours are observed from 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM in accordance with local noise-nuisance standards under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Part III. A fee of 25 per night applies per extra guest beyond the stated maximum, subject to the Host's prior written approval.

Additional rules: No shoes indoors. Please place bin bags in the rear bin store.

Cancellations more than 30 days before check-in: full refund. Cancellations 7-30 days before check-in: 50% refund. Cancellations within 7 days of check-in: non-refundable. The Lead Guest's statutory right to withdraw within 14 days of booking under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 is expressly preserved where the service has not yet commenced.

The Lead Guest shall be responsible for any damage to the property, its fixtures, fittings, furniture or contents beyond fair wear and tear during the let period, whether caused by the Lead Guest or any member of their party. Damage must be reported to the Host as soon as it is discovered. This clause is subject to section 57 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (liability cannot be unreasonably restricted for consumer contracts).

No stag or hen parties. Report any damage immediately.

The property remains in planning Use Class C3 (dwellinghouse) under the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 as amended. Where short-term letting frequency may constitute a material change of use under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 s.55, the Host is solely responsible for obtaining any required planning permission.

The Host confirms that: (a) the property complies with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 including a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment for the common parts; (b) a current Landlord Gas Safety Record (CP12) under regulation 36 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 is in place; (c) a current Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) aligned with the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 is in place; (d) smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed and tested as required by the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 (as amended 2022).

The Host processes the Lead Guest's personal data as data controller on the lawful bases of contract performance (UK GDPR Art.6(1)(b)) and legitimate interests (UK GDPR Art.6(1)(f)), in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 (as amended by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025). Data is used only for booking administration, safety and tax compliance and retained for the period required by law.

The parties acknowledge the patchwork of devolved short-term let licensing and registration regimes that may apply depending on the location of the property:

(a) Scotland — mandatory licensing. Short-term lets in Scotland have been subject to mandatory licensing under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 (SSI 2022/32), with full effect from 1 October 2023 and the transitional period ended on 1 April 2024. Operating an unlicensed STL in Scotland is a criminal offence under s.7 of the 1982 Act (maximum £2,500 fine). In addition, Short-Term Let Control Areas (Edinburgh designated from 5 September 2022) impose a deemed material change of use under the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) (Amendment) Order, requiring planning permission.

(b) Wales — statutory registration scheme. Wales is implementing a statutory STL registration scheme under powers in the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 and the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, with commencement planned in 2026 (delayed from the original 2025 target). Once commenced, all STL operators in Wales will need to register before accepting bookings.

(c) England — statutory STL register. The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 Part 12 empowers the Secretary of State to introduce a mandatory STL register in England by regulations (expected commencement 2026). Where commenced, operators will need to register their property and pay any prescribed fee before listing. The Host warrants that, as at the date of this Agreement, the property holds any licence and/or registration required under the regime applicable to its location, and undertakes to maintain such licence/registration throughout the booking period.

Where the Host has used AI / dynamic-pricing tools (including third-party algorithmic pricing platforms or generative-AI listing optimisation) to set the Rental Fee or to communicate with the Lead Guest, the Host confirms that: (a) the Rental Fee shown to the Lead Guest is the final, all-inclusive price for the dates specified (Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 reg.5 — no misleading omissions about price); (b) no decision producing legal or similarly significant effects on the Lead Guest (such as rejection or surge-pricing surcharge after acceptance) has been taken solely by automated processing, save where Article 22(2) UK GDPR permits and appropriate safeguards have been applied; and (c) the Lead Guest may request human review of any automated decision under Article 22(3) UK GDPR. The Host has had regard to the ICO's 2024 guidance on AI and data protection and to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (in force 6 April 2025) provisions on drip-pricing and price transparency.

The Host is solely responsible for the correct tax treatment of rental income. The parties acknowledge that the Furnished Holiday Lets regime under Part 3 Chapter 6 of the ITTOIA 2005 (and the equivalent CTA 2009 provisions) is abolished with effect from 6 April 2025 pursuant to the Finance Act 2024. Where the property is let for 140 nights or more in a qualifying year, it may be rated for business rates under the Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists) Regulations 2005 rather than subject to council tax; otherwise council tax (with any applicable second-home surcharge) applies.

This Agreement is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales have non-exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it. A person who is not a party to this Agreement has no rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce its terms.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date indicated.