Guest Ready Checklist for Devon Holiday Lets
Compliance does not stop at certificates. Clear and simple guest information reduces risk, improves reviews and cuts down those late night calls for help.
This page is practical guidance. It does not replace your Fire Risk Assessment or legal advice.
Beyond the paper folder on the shelf
Modern guests expect information that is clear and easy to scan. A tidy, well structured guide makes it more likely they follow safety advice and less likely they call because they cannot find the stop tap or work the heating.
Emergency contact and address
Always provide a clear out of hours contact number and the full property address on one page. For rural Devon properties a What3Words address is often the quickest way for services to find you.
Pre-arrival checklist: room by room
This is the checklist to work through before each guest arrival. It covers safety-critical items first, then practical comfort and presentation. Items marked as safety-critical should never be skipped regardless of how tight the changeover window is.
Safety critical
- Smoke alarm tested and green indicator confirmed in every room or floor.
- CO alarm tested and indicator confirmed, particularly near any gas appliance.
- Fire extinguisher or fire blanket present, correctly mounted and in date.
- Fire escape routes clear, unobstructed and doors opening freely.
- Emergency lighting tested if installed.
- Guest information with emergency contact, full address and What3Words posted visibly.
- Stopcock location confirmed accessible and labelled clearly.
- Consumer unit accessible, labelled and not overloaded with adapters or extension leads.
Kitchen
- All hob burners or induction zones igniting or responding correctly.
- Oven heating to temperature, interior clean.
- Fridge between 1 and 4 degrees Celsius, freezer below minus 18.
- Microwave, kettle, toaster and dishwasher all functioning.
- No damaged, frayed or exposed appliance cables.
- Under-sink trap clear, no smell or drip.
- Extractor or cooker hood working and filter clean.
Bathrooms
- All taps running hot and cold without delay.
- Showerhead clean, descaled and producing even flow.
- No visible mould on grout, sealant or ceiling.
- Toilet flushing correctly and cistern refilling.
- Extraction fan working when light is on.
- Heated towel rail working if fitted.
- Bath or shower seal intact with no lifting edges.
Bedrooms and living areas
- Bedding clean, undamaged and correct tog for the season.
- All lighting working including bedside and reading lights.
- Curtains and blinds hanging correctly and operating smoothly.
- Windows opening, locking and staying closed securely when shut.
- No damp patches, condensation staining or mould on walls or ceilings.
- Any portable heaters or fans clean and with no damaged cables.
Arrival and outdoor
- Key safe working with current code and code confirmed in guest communications.
- Exterior path and step lighting working.
- Entrance clearly marked and accessible in the dark if arrival is after dusk.
- Bins emptied, clean and returned to correct positions.
- Garden furniture in good condition, cushions clean and stored if wet.
- Any hot tub or pool water tested and at correct temperature if applicable.
Safety documentation: what should be at the property
Guest readiness is not only about the physical state of the property. Certain documents should be present, current and accessible to guests or to anyone attending in an emergency.
- CP12 Gas Safety Certificate in date, copy available at the property or on request.
- EICR Electrical Installation Condition Report in date (five-year interval for holiday lets is standard practice).
- Fire Risk Assessment completed, reviewed and available at the property.
- PAT Testing records for portable appliances if applicable.
- Legionella Risk Assessment completed and on file.
- Guest information document including emergency contacts, address and utility locations.
If any of these are missing or out of date, a Holiday Let Compliance Audit will identify the gaps and set out a clear priority order for addressing them.
Making the property easy to find
Devon lanes and rural tracks can turn a simple arrival into a stressful start. A three word address, a small local map and notes on landmarks can reduce lost guest calls and help emergency services reach you.
Want a second pair of eyes on your guest information?
As part of my wider property and compliance checks I can review how your guest guide lines up with what is actually on site. The aim is simple. Fewer gaps, fewer risks and fewer calls where a clear note would have solved it.
Many owners combine this with a Holiday Let Compliance Audit so everything is reviewed together.
FAQ
What should be included in a holiday let guest guide?
At minimum: an out of hours contact number, the full property address (and What3Words for rural Devon locations), stopcock and consumer unit locations, heating and hot water instructions, fire exit routes, and any smart lock or key safe guidance.
Do I legally need to provide a guest information pack?
There is no single law requiring a guest pack, but your Fire Risk Assessment should be available at the property, and guests must be able to find the fire exits and emergency information. A clear guest guide is the practical way to meet that expectation and reduce your liability.
How do I make sure guests actually read the information?
Keep it short, visual and scannable. One page for the critical safety information (stopcocks, alarms, exits, contacts) works better than a thick folder. Photos of the actual controls at your property help more than generic diagrams.
How often should a guest guide be reviewed?
Any time something changes at the property: new heating controls, a different key safe code, updated fire alarm positions, or a change in out of hours contacts. A quick review before each season is a good habit.
What is the most commonly missed item in a holiday let pre-arrival check?
Consumer unit and stopcock labelling. Most owners know where they are but guests do not. In an emergency, an unlabelled board or an inaccessible stopcock can turn a minor leak into a serious incident. Clear labels and photos in the guest guide solve this at almost no cost.
Want a simple, joined-up view of guest readiness + compliance?
If you're unsure what's current or what's missing, start with a quick compliance check and a clear priority list.
Download the Free Compliance ChecklistLocal Dartmoor & Devon properties only. No hard sell, just a clear view of where you stand.