Serviced Accommodation Contract Templates — Company Let Agreement, Holiday Let Contract, and Guest Terms

Last updated: May 2026

There are three distinct contracts used in the serviced accommodation and holiday let market. This page explains which one you need, what each covers, and where to download Stayful's company let agreement template.

The contract you need depends on your position in the arrangement. If you are a landlord letting your property to an SA operator under a company let (the R2SA model), you need a company let agreement. If you are a property owner letting directly to holiday guests, you need a holiday let or short-term occupancy agreement. If you manage properties for owners, you need a management agreement between you and the owner.

Stayful's downloadable company let agreement covers the R2SA structure — it is the contract between the landlord and the company taking the property to use as serviced accommodation.

Which contract do you need?

For R2SA (rent to serviced accommodation): a company let agreement between the landlord and the SA operator. For holiday let owners letting to guests directly: a short-term holiday occupancy agreement. For management arrangements: a management agreement between owner and management company. The most-requested document on this page is the company let agreement — the download below gives you the Stayful version, which covers the core clauses required for a compliant UK R2SA arrangement.

Free download Company Let Agreement — Serviced Accommodation Template Covers R2SA arrangements, company let terms, permitted use, rent, and termination — UK compliant Download Company Let Agreement

The three SA contracts — what each covers and who needs it

Three SA contracts — who signs what and when COMPANY LET AGREEMENT Landlord → SA Company ✓ Fixed monthly rent to landlord ✓ Permitted use as SA / serviced lets ✓ Sub-letting rights granted ✓ Property maintenance obligations ✓ Notice periods and termination ✓ Insurance and liability split R2SA model — download above HOLIDAY LET CONTRACT Owner → Individual Guest ✓ Guest occupancy terms ✓ Dates of stay and booking cost ✓ House rules and conduct ✓ Cancellation and refund terms ✓ Security deposit terms ✓ No AST — licence not tenancy Also called a guest agreement MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT Owner → Management Company ✓ Management fee and scope ✓ Services included and excluded ✓ Income payment terms ✓ Owner access and calendar rights ✓ Maintenance authority and limits ✓ Termination and notice Used by Stayful with all owners

What the company let agreement covers — and why SA operators need one

A company let agreement is the contract between the landlord (the property owner) and the company taking the property to use as serviced accommodation. It is not an Assured Shorthold Tenancy — the occupying party is a company, not an individual, which means the Housing Act 1988 AST protections do not apply. This is what makes the arrangement legally distinct and allows the property to be sub-let to short-stay guests.

Why the company let structure matters If an SA operator signs a standard AST rather than a company let agreement, the sub-letting arrangements are likely to breach the tenancy terms, and the operator may not have the legal right to let the property to guests. A company let agreement explicitly grants sub-letting rights, specifies the permitted use (short-stay serviced accommodation), and sets out the rent, term, and maintenance obligations between the two parties clearly.

  • Identifies the landlord and the company clearly — company registration number should be included
  • States the monthly rent, payment date, and any rent review mechanism
  • Grants explicit sub-letting rights — the right to let to individual guests
  • Specifies the permitted use: short-term serviced accommodation lets
  • Defines who is responsible for maintenance, insurance, and utilities
  • Includes a break clause and notice period acceptable to both parties
  • Addresses what happens to the property at the end of the term
  • Covers any restrictions (maximum occupancy, no pets, no parties)
Legal note This template is provided as a starting point. The law governing property contracts is complex and varies by circumstance. Always have any contract reviewed by a qualified solicitor before signing — particularly where a commercial arrangement involves significant rent obligations. This is not legal advice.

What R2SA means — and how the rent-to-serviced-accommodation model works

R2SA structure — contracts and money flow Landlord Owns the property Receives fixed rent Company let agreement £ Fixed rent SA Operator Manages the property Earns from guest bookings Pays fixed rent to landlord Guest occupancy agreement £ Nightly rate Guests Short-stay bookings No tenancy rights Guaranteed income regardless of occupancy Income depends on occupancy and management Licence not tenancy short-stay only

R2SA (Rent to Serviced Accommodation) is a property investment model in which an operator rents a property from a landlord on a company let agreement and then earns income by letting that property to short-stay guests. The landlord receives a fixed monthly rent — typically above the long-let market rate — regardless of how many guests stay. The operator earns the difference between the guest revenue and the rent they pay to the landlord.

Why R2SA requires a company let agreement The R2SA model only works legally if the sub-letting rights are explicitly granted in the contract between the landlord and the operator. An AST does not allow sub-letting without the landlord's express consent written into the agreement. A company let agreement — where the tenant is a company rather than an individual — creates the correct legal framework for this structure.

What R2SA means for the landlord From the landlord's perspective, R2SA provides a guaranteed monthly income — the operator pays rent whether or not guests are staying. The risk of empty periods is carried by the operator, not the landlord. The trade-off is that the landlord receives less than they would earn from full-service management in a high-demand market, in exchange for income certainty. Stayful's guaranteed rent option operates on a similar principle — see guaranteed rent UK for how this works.

Holiday let contracts — what the owner-to-guest agreement covers

A holiday let contract (also called a short-term occupancy agreement or guest terms) is the agreement between a property owner and an individual guest booking a short stay. It is distinct from an AST — under a correctly structured holiday let arrangement, guests do not acquire tenancy rights because the occupation is intended to be temporary.

A UK holiday let contract should clearly state: the names of the owner and all guests; the property address; the dates of occupation (check-in and checkout times); the total fee paid and what it includes; the security deposit amount and conditions for return or retention; the house rules (maximum occupancy, no pets, no smoking, noise curfew); the guest's responsibility for damage beyond fair wear and tear; the cancellation and refund policy; and a statement that the occupation is a licence — not a tenancy — so the guest does not acquire residential occupancy rights. The contract should specify that a guest staying in holiday accommodation does not have the right to remain after the booking period ends.

The distinction between a licence and a tenancy is legally significant. A tenancy creates a right to occupy that the law protects — it cannot be ended without following the statutory notice procedure. A licence is permission to be on the premises for a specific purpose (a holiday stay) and ends automatically when the permission expires. For a holiday let to remain a licence rather than becoming a tenancy, the stay must be genuinely temporary and the owner must retain control of the property (including the right to enter for maintenance). This is why holiday let contracts must be clear that the purpose of occupation is holiday use — not a residence.

Airbnb and Booking.com bookings are covered by the platform's own guest terms, which include baseline occupancy rules. However, the platform terms do not substitute for an owner's property-specific rules — a separate guest agreement (or house manual with sign-off) allows owners to impose property-specific conditions (noise curfews, parking rules, damage documentation processes) that the platform terms do not cover. For professional SA management, Stayful manages guest agreements as part of the management service — owners do not need to produce these independently.

What to check before signing any SA contract — landlord and operator checklist

Clause What to check — landlord perspective What to check — operator perspective
Rent amount Is it above market long-let rate? Is there a rent review mechanism? Is the rent achievable at realistic occupancy? What's the break-even occupancy?
Term length Is there a minimum term before the operator can exit? What's the notice period? Is the term long enough to recoup furnishing investment? Is there a break clause?
Sub-letting rights Are you comfortable with the property being let to short-stay guests? Are sub-letting rights explicitly granted in writing — not assumed?
Maintenance Who is responsible for structural repairs vs operational wear? What are the limits of your maintenance liability? Is there a spending cap?
Insurance Does the operator carry their own public liability and contents cover? Does your SA insurance policy cover company let arrangements specifically?
Mortgage consent Has your mortgage lender consented to a company let and short-stay guests? Has the landlord confirmed mortgage consent before you sign?
Planning permission Is the property in an area with SA restrictions (Article 4, London 90-day rule)? Have you checked local planning rules for your operational postcode?
Termination What triggers immediate termination? What happens to furnishings at end of term? What is your exit route if the market softens or the property underperforms?
! Mortgage consent is the most commonly missed step in R2SA arrangements. Most residential mortgages do not permit short-term letting or company lets without the lender's express consent. Operating without it can constitute mortgage fraud. Always confirm in writing that the landlord has mortgage consent — or that the property is mortgage-free — before signing a company let agreement.

The questions landlords and operators ask about SA contracts

A company let agreement for serviced accommodation is the contract between a property landlord and a company (the SA operator) that rents the property to use as short-stay serviced accommodation. It grants the operator the right to sub-let the property to individual guests, specifies the monthly rent paid to the landlord, and sets out maintenance, insurance, and termination terms. It is not an AST — the tenant is a company, which means the Housing Act 1988 individual tenancy protections do not apply.
R2SA (Rent to Serviced Accommodation) is a legal property investment model in the UK in which an operator rents a property from a landlord on a company let agreement and earns income by letting to short-stay guests. It is legal when: the landlord has mortgage consent (or the property is mortgage-free); the correct company let agreement (not an AST) is in place granting sub-letting rights; the operator complies with local planning rules; and the operator holds appropriate insurance. The model is not legal if operated on a standard AST without the landlord's written consent to sub-let.
A holiday let contract creates a licence — permission to occupy for a specific short-stay purpose. The guest does not acquire tenancy rights and must leave at the end of the booking period without requiring a Section 21 or Section 8 notice. A tenancy agreement (AST) creates protected occupation rights that cannot be ended without following the statutory notice procedure. Holiday lets must be genuinely temporary — the property must not be used as the guest's primary residence — to remain a licence rather than becoming a tenancy.
Airbnb's platform terms provide a baseline guest agreement, but they do not cover property-specific house rules or damage documentation processes in the detail that a standalone guest agreement would. For professional SA operations, a separate guest agreement or detailed house manual with sign-off is recommended — it provides a documented baseline for damage claims and ensures guests are clearly bound by your property-specific rules in addition to the platform's generic terms.
Yes — most residential mortgages do not permit company lets or short-term letting without the lender's written consent. Operating a company let on a property with a standard residential mortgage without consent can constitute a breach of the mortgage terms. The landlord must either obtain written consent from their lender or refinance onto a suitable buy-to-let or commercial product that permits this use. Operators should confirm mortgage consent in writing before signing a company let agreement.
A management agreement between an owner and a management company (such as Stayful) sets out: the management fee (Stayful charges 15% + VAT); the services included (pricing, guest communication, cleaning coordination, maintenance coordination, monthly reporting); the payment terms (income paid to owner monthly); the owner's rights (date-blocking, access); maintenance authority (spending limit the management company can commit without owner approval); and termination notice. The owner retains ownership — the management company acts as their agent for running the property.
Related pages
SA management and contracts
Airbnb management company UK — full service overview Serviced accommodation management UK Holiday let management costs — what you pay and what you get Holiday let management UK
Income and guaranteed rent
Guaranteed rent UK — fixed monthly income option SA vs HMO — which earns more for UK property investors What is serviced accommodation — how it works

If you own the property — see what it could earn under full management rather than R2SA

Owners using professional management typically earn more than the fixed rent an R2SA operator would pay. The income estimate shows you the honest comparison.