holiday/short lets room size guidance?

There appears to be similar Safety regulations, but I can’t immediately see anything on room size.

Minimum room size requirements really only apply to HMOs, with the 6.5m sq being the absolute minimum room size for HMOs falling under the Mandatory Licencing regime.
That being said there really isn’t much space for anything (bed, wardrobe, night stand etc.) once you start going below 6.5m sq so you could use that as a guide.

I don’t think there are any regulations regarding holiday lets. Most stays are quite short, 2 weeks or less, so being a bit cramped isn’t really going to be a long term problem. Similarly a small single room in a hotel or a small single cabin on a cruise ship is not really a problem.

I have been letting “holiday” cottages and flats — formally known as Furnished Holiday Lets (FHLs) — for years. I have always understood that there is no difference in planning terms, including room sizes, between a FHL and a residential property. Actually people accept a degree of over-crowding that they would not willingly accept at home so that the whole family can come to a small and therefore cheaper cottage in a nice part of the country. It is normal to put a bunk bed in a small single room. You have to please your clients so that they will come again next year. You have to tell clients what you are offering — plenty of photos of rooms on your website. Years ago the Government tried to grade us like hotels — 5-star etc. This collapsed because those trying to enforce it had no idea what they were talking about. What’s new! But don’t press your local friendly(?) planning officer about room sizes lest he or his boss decides they ought to have some rules and makes them up.
There are quite strict rules about tax and allowances intended to make sure that you cannot get tax allowances on the expense of maintaining your holiday cottage by letting a few weeks to a some of your mates at “mates’ rates”. These are mainly about occupancy, and are quite simple to operate.

No current regulations, however, this may well change. Scotland and Bristol are working to introduce short term let licensing of short term lets. The licensing requirements are bound to introduce safety and over crowding regulations. For now as a minimum, a safe bet is probably to comply with your local authorities HMO bedsit licence requirements.

Reply to the comment left by Rob Crawford at 29/01/2020 – 13:58
I spoke to Bristol City Council’s landlord rep and apparently the info ref Bristol posted earlier is miss-information. Please disregard.

Reply to the comment left by Rob Crawford at 29/01/2020 – 13:58
I’ve heard back from my local council officer and he said that there are no size guidelines – he referred me to planning so I gather there will be restrictions on that – thanks for all your comments.