How to set up guest registration record keeping

To legally operate any form of guest accommodation in the UK, you must set up a system to record the details of every guest over the age of 16. This is a legal duty under the Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972. Your system needs to capture their full name and nationality, and you must keep this information for at least 12 months.

What Information You Must Record

The specific information you are legally required to collect depends on the guest's nationality. It’s a good practice to create a simple registration form or digital template that has fields for all possibilities.

For All Guests (Aged 16 and over)

For every guest, regardless of their origin, you must record:

• Their full name
• Their nationality

For International Guests

For any guest who is not a Commonwealth citizen, a British protected person, or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, you must record further details. The law refers to these guests as ‘aliens’.

• Full name
• Nationality
• Passport number and place of issue (or other document that shows their identity and nationality)
• Details of their next destination (including the full address, if known) on departure

Tip: It's wise to get into the habit of asking to see the passports of all international guests upon check-in. This allows you to verify the details you are recording are accurate.

How to Set Up Your System

You can use a digital or paper-based system, as long as the information is recorded accurately and stored securely. The police and other authorities have a right to inspect your records at any time.

1. Choose Your Format: Decide if you will use a traditional hardback guest register, simple digital spreadsheet, printed registration cards for each guest, or a professional Property Management System (PMS) that has this function built-in.
2. Create Your Template: Design your form or spreadsheet columns to match the required fields above. This ensures you don't forget to ask for a key piece of information.
3. Integrate it into Check-In: Make completing the register a standard and essential part of your check-in process for every single guest.

Data Security and Retention

You must keep these records for at least 12 months after the guest's stay. The personal information you collect is also subject to data protection laws (GDPR), so you must ensure it is stored securely. If you use a paper register, it should be kept in a safe place. If your system is digital, it must be password-protected.