If you’re running a business in the hospitality sector, then having a good understanding of the law is essential. After all, you and your staff will be interacting with customers, and the general public, constantly.
Among these countless interactions, there will be some that create an opportunity for harm to occur, and where you haven’t taken steps to limit that harm, you might be found liable in a court of law.
What Are the Legal Considerations for Hotels and Hospitality Businesses?
Employment Law and Workers’ Rights in Hospitality
Before you even consider your relationship with your customers, however, it’s worth making sure that you understand the fundamentals of worker’s rights legislation in the UK. This means offering the national living wage, which in 2025 is set to rise to £12.21, to those older than 21. Of course, if you’re employing sixteen-year-olds, then you could slash your wage bill considerably.
Another requirement is that all employees be given an employment contract which lays out the rights and responsibilities of the employee. Of course, the employee is also protected by certain rights, which are set to change when the Employment Rights Bill becomes law.
Health, Safety, and Licensing Regulations
Keeping guests safe means following proper procedures for hygiene, especially when food and drink are being served. Cross-contamination can cause outbreaks of food poisoning, which can create legal risks as well as reputation problems. Under the Food Safety Act 1990, food and drink must be of a nature, substance and quality that consumers expect.
You’ll also be forbidden from serving alcohol to customers who aren’t old enough to drink it, or who are dangerously intoxicated. Businesses of this kind are subject to surprise inspections from environmental health officers, and so it’s worth taking taking compliance extremely seriously.
Guest Rights and Liability Considerations
Guests in a hotel are protected by many of the same rules and regulations that protect customers in general. You are providing a service, and if the service falls substantially short of what has been advertised, you might leave yourself vulnerable to legal action.
A more serious threat, arguably, stems from personal injury. This might occur if a customer, or a member of the public, slips on a wet floor or scalds themselves on boiling-hot coffee.
Handing legal disputes often means recruiting a lawyer who will act on your behalf. You might also protect yourself by investing in public liability insurance.
The Role of Legal Support in Managing Risks
The best way to deal with legal problems in hospitality is to avoid them in the first place. This means thinking proactively about where risk lies, and what steps can be taken to mitigate it.
Often, this might require the input of a consultant who can conduct risk assessments on your behalf, and spot where the areas of risk might lie.
