Registering visitor accommodation: technical guidance - When and how to register

A visitor accommodation provider must register themselves and each of the premises in Wales where they provide, or offer to provide, accommodation.

When registering, the visitor accommodation provider will need to complete the WRA’s registration form and provide:

• their details and information about the visitor accommodation
• any other information that the WRA requests

Provided that these conditions have been met, the WRA will notify you that registration is complete and provide you with a registration number.

A person may complete the registration form up to 30 days before they begin providing, or offering to provide, visitor accommodation at premises in Wales.

Example of when to register as a visitor accommodation provider

Gwendolen purchases a Bed & Breakfast on 1 December 2027. She has plans to become a visitor accommodation provider in 2028 and starts doing some renovation work at the premises. Her renovation work is done by 10 January 2028 and she starts planning how she will advertise her business. She starts offering to provide accommodation on 6 February 2028 and takes bookings from 01 March 2028.

Gwendolen will need to register her bed and breakfast and she’ll need to complete her registration by 6 February 2028, as this is the day she begins offering to provide visitor accommodation at premises in Wales. Gwendolen could also register at any time up to 30 days before 6 February 2028.

When a visitor accommodation provider makes their application to register and supplies all the required information, the WRA must register them, unless they are already registered. The WRA will also issue a notice to the person to say that they have been registered.

The WRA can decide not to register a person, for example, if full details of the visitor accommodation provider or premises are not provided.

The WRA will notify the person of the reasons why they have not been registered and explain how they can seek a review of that decision or make an appeal.

If you have submitted your registration form to the WRA but have not yet had a:

• notice confirming your registration, or
• notice that the WRA has decided not to register you

then you may provide, or offer to provide, visitor accommodation between submitting your registration form and the date of the WRA notice without any liability to a penalty for failing to register.

If a visitor accommodation provider is not registered and has not submitted a registration form to the WRA, then the WRA may register that person.

The WRA can only register a person if it considers that they are:

• currently a visitor accommodation provider, or
• they were a visitor accommodation provider in the last 14 days

Before the WRA can register a person and make an entry on the public register, a notice will be issued to that person which sets out:

• the information that the WRA is planning to include in the entry
• the information the WRA does not hold which is needed for the entry
• any information the WRA considers is or may be inaccurate in relation to the entry
• the date on which the WRA will make the entry on the register, unless before that date the person completes the registration form themselves beforehand, or the WRA is satisfied that the person does not need to register, and
• information relating to reviews and appeals in relation to the notice

WRA cannot make an entry on the register until at least 14 days after issuing the notice referred to above.

Where WRA has registered a person, the entry on the register will indicate that the person was registered by the WRA. This indicator will no longer be shown on the entry if the visitor accommodation provider later provides the WRA with the information needed to satisfy the WRA that the entry is complete and accurate.

A person that has to be registered by WRA will not be treated as if they have registered for the purposes of penalties for failing to register. This means they may be liable to penalties for failing to register until they provide WRA with any information necessary to make the entry complete or accurate. If no information is needed, they will need to confirm that the entry on the register is complete and accurate, or apply to be removed from the register.