After talking with the BH&HPA and our insurance we have created a guide to help you with the guidelines, regulations and restrictions for subletting your caravan.
Communicating with Holiday Makers
This section applies to anyone hiring holiday caravans.
Any closed facilities or restrictions to be imposed across the park, should be communicated in writing to customers before they book, with a reminder before their arrival.
Where possible please offer comprehensive up-to-date information about:
- What to expect at the park
- Facilities that will be open or closed
- The availability of local shops or facilities.
They should not travel to the park if they or anyone in their household has COVID-19 symptoms.
Explain the procedure for arrivals at (and departures from) the park.
Prepare a user-friendly guide to layout the ground rules.
You may wish to provide:
- Disposable cleaning cloths
- Antibacterial household wipes
- Refuse bags including for used bed linen /towels (if provided)
- Regular cleaning products such as washing up liquid, disinfectant.
- Hand sanitisers near the entrance and ensure it is stocked.
The information to holidaymakers may include:
- What the park is doing to reduce the spread of infection
- What holidaymakers can do:
Enjoy their caravan and the area of their pitch.
Walk freely on the park, at all times observing social distance from other park users and the park team.
Bring soap, hand gel, gloves, toilet roll, disinfectant, hand sanitiser – just to be on the safe side.
Bring their own supplies of food and drink may reduce reliance and congestion in local shops.
Talk to any of our park team but always observe social distance.
Place orders for food and drink from the park to be collected or delivered observing social distance.
- Please ask them to not:
Meet or gather with friends in a social group.
Invite or entertain visitors.
Allow children to roam unsupervised around the park so that they do not, albeit inadvertently, break the social distance rule.
You should ask everyone to show consideration, please, for your local community. Urge everyone to respect social distance in all contacts outside the park.
Considerations
Where holiday makers are to be welcomed:
Stagger holidays/ length of holidays to avoid bottlenecks
Review check in times to ensure accommodation can be cleaned effectively
Provide holidaymakers with a plan and clear directions to their accommodation or pitch Accommodation keys should be cleaned and offered in disposable bag.
Departures as appropriate arrange:
A procedure holiday makers to advise you park when leaving (by telephone or electronically if possible)
Advise holidaymakers to leave windows open – on the latch – when leaving the accommodation (unless windy/rainy weather makes this inadvisable)
A procedure for holidaymakers to confirm no one was ill during their stay.
Place sheets, pillowcases, towels in the bags provided.
Cleaning and Housekeeping when subletting
Ensure a rigorous cleaning programme is in place.
What is the essential inventory for each unit? Consider: • everything in the inventory will need to be cleaned before and after each let so bear this in mind; fewer items, less work
Removal of non-essential soft furnishings: cushions, decorative runners
Have a policy in place in case anyone has COVID 19 symptoms.
Consider asking guests to bring their own bedlinen and towels or if you supply bedlinen and towels, then consider the cleaning and laundry implications.
Customers with COVID 19 Symptoms
The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of a new continuous cough or high temperature or a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia). If you have these symptoms, however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for at least 7 days from when your symptoms started (if you live alone), or 14 days (if you live with someone who has symptoms). You do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days, contact NHS 111 online. If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999.
What to do a holiday maker staying on the park has symptoms
Guidance has been published to clarify what should be done where someone staying on your park has symptoms of COVID-19, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-advice-for-accommodation-providers#people-staying-in-accommodation-that-have-symptoms-of-covid-19
In summary, the guidance is that a symptomatic guest should inform the park and if subletting the accommodation provider, immediately self-isolate where they are to minimise any risk of transmission and request a test.
If they are confirmed to have COVID-19, they should then return home if they reasonably can, using private transport but only driving themselves if they can do so safely. If a guest cannot reasonably return home (for example because they are not well enough to travel or do not have the means to arrange transport), their circumstances should be discussed with an appropriate health care professional and, if necessary, the local authority.
Other guests in the same accommodation should also self-isolate where they are. If the diagnosis is then confirmed, they should also return home for any remaining part of their 7-day isolation period, subject to being able to do so safely.
A consequence following from this guidance is that if you are subletting your caravan it may become unavailable for the next guests at short notice because the current guests are self-isolating there.
However, government guidance is not intended to cover every circumstance. Some holidaymakers, and perhaps caravan owners, who are unwell would wish to return home straight away. The guidance does not stop them from choosing to do so.
If you are subletting your procedures should take account of the potential for such circumstances.
Cleaning
On entering open as many doors and windows open as possible (weather dependent) to ventilate the unit.
Clear accommodation (into refuse sacks) of any personal items that remain: papers, personal items, food (checking fridge).
Cleaning and sanitising should be carried out on all frequently touched surfaces outside and inside.
Items to be cleaned include, but are not limited to door handles including cupboards, wardrobes etc. • door handles, but also push plates
- light switches
- remote controls
- kitchen appliances
- plug casings (switched off and done with care).
- kitchen worktops, handles, taps, etc
- thermostats
- light switches
- remote controls
- hand rails
- keys
- floors
- window sills and handles
- hand rails
- tables
- chairs
- bins
- kitchen and bathroom walls
- hairdryers, coat hangers
- bathroom sanitary fittings
- bathroom surfaces
- taps, handles, shower doors etc.
Wash all crockery, pans and cutlery etc. supplied with the accommodation thoroughly. Any chipped or cracked crockery should be disposed of.
Cleaning hard surfaces
Disposable cloths or paper roll and disposable mop heads should be used to clean and disinfect all hard surfaces
To disinfect use either:
- a combined detergent disinfectant solution at a dilution of 1000 parts per million available chlorine, or,
- a household detergent followed by disinfection (1000 ppm av.cl.). Follow manufacturers’ instructions for dilution, application and contact times for all detergents and disinfectants.
Cleaning soft surfaces
The disinfectant used may be suitable for use on soft furnishings. Alternatively, for example on upholstered furniture, soft furnishings and mattresses, steam cleaning may be used.
Waste from possible cases of coronavirus and cleaning of areas where possible cases have been (including disposable cloths, tissues, and face coverings if worn) should be put in a plastic rubbish bag and tied when full. The plastic bag should then be placed in a second bin bag and tied. Waste should not be left unsupervised on the park awaiting collection.