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.

Your establishment should be of substantial and durable construction, structurally safe, in good repair throughout and of suitable design. It should be in good decorative order and kept clean and well maintained throughout the property.

Adequate arrangements must be in place for the arrival and departure of guests at the property. Visitors shall have access to the establishment at all times by such means as may be stipulated by the establishment.

Your Tourism NI Certificate and scale of charges for accommodation in each unit must be prominently displayed, easily seen by visitors before, or immediately after, they enter. If your rates vary seasonally, or if there is any condition to be satisfied (e.g. age eligibility for children’s rates), or any other charges not included in the rate, then these must be displayed. Charges for extra facilities such as internet usage, 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.

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 dining area must be sufficiently large to cater to the number of guests who may reasonably be expected to use it at any one time. Campus Accommodation may provide one or more dining areas with furniture, fittings and equipment of good quality and condition.

Campus Accommodation may provide one or more kitchen areas for use by the establishment to provide meals for visitors or; provide one or more kitchens for use by visitors to prepare meals.

Where provided, the kitchen together with any associated service areas should contain facilities, fittings and equipment of good quality and condition, which are easily cleaned. These should be adequate for the storage, refrigeration, preparation, cooking and service of food for the maximum number of visitors capable of being seated in the dining area and adequate for the storage and cleaning of all associated utensils.

The kitchen must also be adequately ventilated and adjacent to, or easily accessible from a dining area. Garbage should be removed from the premises at least twice weekly and should not be stored in the kitchen area.

Rooms should be numbered, lettered or otherwise designated so as to identify them and should be of adequate size for the number of visitors the room is intended to hold. Each bedroom should have separate access from the corridor, and the door must be lockable.

The rooms must contain furniture, fittings and equipment of good quality and condition for sleeping and toilet purposes and for the storage of visitors’ clothing.

In general, these furnishings should include a bed/beds for each visitor the room is intended to hold, complete with interior sprung mattress or suitable equivalent; a supply of clean linen, blankets or duvets and pillows; loose or built-in units comprising wardrobe or cupboard, dressing table, mirror and drawer space for clothes; a bedside chair and table; a waste bin; a carpet or floor surface of suitable design; and window curtains or blinds for privacy and the exclusion of light.

Campus Accommodation offering bedrooms which do not have en-suite bathrooms should provide at least one bathroom for every 15 visitors. Each bathroom should contain a bath or shower, WC and wash-hand basin of good quality and condition, with plumbing in good working order to ensure a continuous supply of hot and cold water and the disposal of wastewater. In each en-suite bathroom (if any) there should be a bath or shower, a WC and (unless one is already provided in the bedroom) a wash hand basin, of good quality and condition, with a continuous supply of hot and cold water. Bathrooms and toilets should have an effective means of ventilation and shall be equipped with a suitable locking device, mirror, towel rails, clothes hooks, bath mat and clean and ample supply of toilet requisites including towels, soap and toilet paper.

The establishment should contain effective means of natural lighting and ventilation and have a means of heating capable of maintaining, when required, a room temperature of at least 18.5 degrees Celsius.

The establishment should be under the supervision of a person trained or experienced in Campus or similar accommodation management and shall be staffed by persons adequate in number and training to maintain appropriate standards of service for visitors at all reasonable times. In addition, there should also be a means for guests to summon the attention of staff as required. There should be a service for the regular cleaning of visitors’ bedrooms, bathrooms and public areas.