Hotels FAQs
What can we do for you?
Buying/Selling a business in the tourism sector
If you are buying or selling a business in this sector we will guide you through the whole process. This includes:
- agreeing initial heads of terms;
- advising on the terms of any financial arrangements;
- advising on any employees that may be transferred;
- the due diligence and pre contract investigation process;
- advising on any real estate aspects of the transaction;
- preparing or approving the contract documentation for the acquisition or disposal of the business, be it the shares in a limited liability company or the trading assets and goodwill.
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Planning
Planning permission, liquor licensing and site licensing arrangements are an integral part of the regulatory framework within which any hotel, holiday park, caravan park or camping site must operate. Whether you are buying an existing business or setting up a new one advice in the early stages on the planning aspects of what you are proposing to do can save you time and money later on.
Our team can help you with this and wherever possible ensure that matters are agreed in principle with the planning authorities before a planning application is formally submitted.
Having some certainty over planning permission for a new project is invaluable for a client who wishes to put forward a business proposal to a potential funder when seeking financial support for their business. If planning is refused we can advise and help you with an appeal, be that by way of written representations or a full blown public enquiry.
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Licensing
Hotel restaurant and other leisure facilities are usually licensed to sell alcohol and owners may require help on liquor licensing. We can provide specialist advice to overcome hurdles that you may encounter with the local authority in making your application for licensing arrangements. If in doubt, consult us before making your application to avoid having it delayed or rejected altogether.
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Contracts
Any business is involved in a variety of contractual relationships - ranging from contracts with customers to contracts with banks, suppliers, booking and referral agencies, Certification and Accreditation organisations, restaurant, pub, camping and hotel guides, equipment leasing and hire purchase.
We are experienced in dealing with commercial agreements of all descriptions and if you have any questions or you want some quick advice on a contract, contact one of our team who will be happy to help you.
You will probably need contracts drawn up for use in your own business, and again one of our team will be glad to help you with this.
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Employment
No matter how many employees you have, you have a responsibility to get your employment contracts and procedures right. Failure to do so could ruin your business.
We understand the pressures of hiring and firing during the holiday season and that seasonal staff come and go throughout the year with a varied degree of reliability. You need to be aware of all the regulations surrounding the rights of your employees, even the seasonal and temporary workers.
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Terms & Conditions
Have you had problems with guests cancelling?
Do you have to refund the deposit?
Are your terms & conditions clear, fair & concise?
Can you rely on your terms & conditions if something goes wrong?
Do you know your legal rights when problems arise?
Booking terms & conditions may seem simple, but the Law of Contract is complicated with lots of grey areas. If you know the basics, it will help you to ensure your business runs smoothly and that you can deal with the day to day problems which may occur.
Some important points to note
- When you take a booking you are forming a legal contract with your guest
- If your terms and conditions are not part of that contract, you will not be able to rely on them if something goes wrong—you need to know how to ensure that they are included
- You need to know if your terms are fair and not in breach of any laws such as the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977
- You need to know what you should include in your terms & conditions to make sure that you are covered
- You need to know when the contract has been breached—and what the remedies are
- You should be aware of what liabilities you can and can’t exclude
These are just a few of the points covered in our Terms & Conditions pack. We provide you with a draft set of Terms & Conditions which you can then amend to suit your own particular circumstances. In addition, there are some useful guidance notes to help you understand the basics of contract law—how it impacts on the bookings you take, and what to do if things go wrong. Many of the complaints received over the past year from both guests and hospitality businesses in this region have related to problems with bookings and Terms & Conditions. Don’t let it happen to you! Contact us to order the pack, or for more information.
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