NEW guidance to help owners of holiday lets keep York safe and welcoming has been published today.

York has recently been awarded a Purple Flag, which recognises a safe and thriving night-time economy, and regularly tops the list of the best places for a staycation in the UK, according to the City of York council.

The council's new guidance is designed to help holiday let landlords know the steps they should take to stay on the right side of the law and encourage visitors to be considerate of neighbouring residents.

Their advice addresses a breadth of issues covering a range of landlord responsibilities, including: How to keep guests safe in the property, how to encourage guests to be considerate, how to safely and appropriately dispose of waste, whether the landlord pays business rates, and whether to seek planning permission.

Cllr Denise Craghill, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Communities, said: "Whilst the Government is currently considering national regulation of holiday lets, we are very mindful of the impact they can have on local residents and neighbourhoods and we are doing what we can locally to support residents.

"The guide will help to ensure that anyone considering or running such a business is aware of their responsibilities.”

Cllr Ashley Mason, Executive Member for Economic Development and Strategy, added: "We want to ensure that the owners of holiday accommodation have the right advice that would enable them to make their businesses a success.

"This guidance aims to support holiday lets being rented out in a manner which is welcoming and considerate, compliant and safe for the whole community.”

The proportion of visitors staying in York’s self-catering accommodation has risen from six percent in 2016, to 19 percent in 2022.

Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said: "One of the many reasons why York is such an attractive place to visit is due to the diverse range of top-quality accommodation on offer, from hotels to B&Bs and self-catering.

"We have some brilliant holiday let properties in York, which strive for excellence. However, it is important that others don't let the sector down."

Click here to see the new guide.