Registering visitor accommodation: technical guidance - Notifying the WRA of changes and inaccuracies

If an entry in the register is inaccurate or becomes inaccurate due to a change in circumstances, the visitor accommodation provider must give notice to the WRA of that inaccuracy. 

The notice needs to include the information that the WRA needs to correct the entry in the register. The notice will also need to be in any particular form and provide any documentation that that the WRA have specified.

Inaccuracies will cover situations where details relating to the registration are no longer correct, such as:

• whether the visitor accommodation provider has sold some of their premises
• any change in trading name, or the visitor accommodation provider name
• any change in the registered address of the visitor accommodation provider
• the type of the visitor accommodation at the premises has changed

Where the register is inaccurate, a visitor accommodation provider has 30 days to notify the WRA, starting with the day they first knew about the inaccuracy, or ought to have known about the inaccuracy.

Where the inaccuracy is a result of a change in circumstances, a visitor accommodation provider has 30 days to notify the WRA starting with the date the change in circumstances occurred.

Failure to notify the WRA may lead to penalties.

Example of changing a provider name

Great Welsh Cottages Limited own a number of premises in Wales at which visitor accommodation is provided. The company changes its name to Fantastic Welsh Cottages Limited on 01 October. 

This means their registration is no longer accurate as the visitor accommodation provider name has changed, and they have 30 days starting on 01 October to update their registration details. 

This means they must update their registration details by the end of the day on 30 October.

Example of changing maximum occupancy due to closure

Following on from the previous example, Fantastic Welsh Cottages Limited have closed half of their premises for renovations and expect them to be closed for 6 months. As part of the renovations, they’ll be increasing the maximum occupancy at each premises. 

There are two changes in circumstances here. The first is that half of their premises are closed and so the visitor accommodation is not being used or advertised for bookings whilst renovations are ongoing. They will need to notify WRA of this within 30 days of closing each premises for renovations. 

Once the renovations are complete, they will need to notify WRA that each premise is back to being used and advertised as visitor accommodation, including the increased occupancy at each premises. They must do this within 30 days starting with the date of the change for each premise.

Correction of register

When a visitor accommodation provider gives notice to WRA about an inaccuracy, the WRA must correct the register and issue the provider with a notice which outlines the corrections that were made to that entry in the register.

WRA will not issue a notice to the visitor accommodation provider outlining the corrections if they believe the entry in the register is inaccurate and have already sent the provider a notice with their proposed changes.

Rejection of notice

If a visitor accommodation provider gives notice to WRA about an inaccuracy and the WRA decide not to make any changes to the entry in the register, then the provider will be issued with a notice to explain why the entry in the register was not changed as well as the review and appeal rights relating to that notice.

If the WRA believe that an entry in the register is inaccurate and no notice has been given to the WRA by the visitor accommodation provider relating to that entry, then the WRA may change the entry on the register.

Before the WRA do change the entry on the register, the visitor accommodation provider will be issued with a notice that will state:

• what part of the entry the WRA thinks is inaccurate
• whether the WRA will omit the information that may be inaccurate or the changes they intend to make to the entry on the register
• the date when the register will be changed, which will be at least 30 days after the date the notice issued
• how to request a review or appeal in relation to the notice

The WRA will not make the change it outlined in the notice if, before the date specified in the notice, the visitor accommodation provider:

• has notified the WRA of a change of circumstances or inaccuracy, and provided the information necessary for the WRA to change the entry on the register, or
• the WRA becomes satisfied that the entry on the register does not need to be changed

For example, if the visitor accommodation provider confirms that the original entry was accurate and provides sufficient evidence to satisfy the WRA that no changes are needed, then WRA will not change the entry on register.

Where WRA has made changes to a provider’s entry on the register, the entry will indicate that the WRA has made changes and the information that has been changed. This indicator will no longer be shown if the visitor accommodation provider later provides the WRA with the information needed to satisfy the WRA that the entry is complete and accurate.

If the entry on the register is changed by the WRA, then penalties may apply until the date that the person:

• gives notice to the WRA that the change is inaccurate with the information needed to correct the entry, or
• confirms that the entry is accurate