Host Family Agreement

By registering as a Host on the Language Travel UK platform and accepting a booking, you ("the Host") enter into a binding agreement with Language Travel UK and with the Guest. This document sets out your duties, obligations, and rights as a Host.

Hosts must provide guests with:

• A private, clean, and adequately furnished bedroom with lockable storage
• Access to shared bathroom facilities with reasonable privacy
• Heating, hot water, and adequate lighting at all times
• A safe, smoke-free sleeping environment
• Wi-Fi access suitable for study purposes
• A quiet study space during agreed study hours

The accommodation provided must materially match the description and photos submitted to Language Travel UK. Hosts must notify us immediately of any significant changes to the property.

Full-board accommodation includes breakfast, an evening meal, and a packed lunch (or equivalent) on school days. Hosts must cater for any dietary requirements, allergies, or religious food restrictions notified prior to the guest's arrival.

Hosts must never serve food that the guest has indicated they cannot eat. In the case of a severe allergy, the Host must take all reasonable steps to prevent cross-contamination.

Hosts may set reasonable house rules (e.g. curfew times, quiet hours, use of shared spaces) provided these are communicated to the guest on or before arrival and are not discriminatory.

Hosts must treat all guests with dignity and respect regardless of nationality, religion, gender, or any other protected characteristic. Any form of discrimination or harassment is grounds for immediate removal from the platform.

Guests who persistently breach reasonable house rules may be reported to Language Travel UK. We will mediate and, where necessary, arrange alternative accommodation.

Hosts must ensure the following minimum safety standards are maintained at all times:

• Working smoke alarms on every floor, tested regularly
• A working carbon monoxide detector in every room containing a gas, oil, or solid fuel appliance (required under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations 2022)
• A clearly displayed emergency exit plan
• Gas safety certificate (where applicable), renewed annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer
• A completed fire risk assessment for the property
• Electrical installation in safe working order
• No trip hazards or structural defects in common areas
• Secure, lockable front door and windows on the ground floor

Required compliance documents: Before a Host's listing is approved, Language Travel UK requires submission of:

• A valid Gas Safety Certificate (if any gas appliances are present)
• A completed Fire Risk Assessment
• A signed declaration confirming smoke alarms and CO detectors are installed and tested
• Enhanced DBS certificate for all adults in the household (if hosting minors)

Hosts are responsible for renewing gas safety certificates annually and keeping all compliance documents current. Language Travel UK may request updated documents at any time and may suspend a listing if documents lapse.

Hosts must immediately report to Language Travel UK any incident, accident, or safeguarding concern involving a guest.

All adult members of the Host household (aged 16 and over) must hold a valid enhanced DBS certificate and must not have any unspent convictions relevant to working with children or vulnerable adults.

Hosts must never leave a minor guest unsupervised overnight without prior written agreement from the parent, guardian, or group leader.

Hosts must report any safeguarding concern — including anything said or disclosed by a guest — to Language Travel UK immediately. Do not attempt to investigate concerns yourself.

Hosts are required to hold valid home and contents insurance that covers paying guests. Language Travel UK strongly recommends hosts notify their insurer that they will be hosting paying guests, as standard home insurance policies may not provide cover without this declaration.

Language Travel UK does not provide insurance cover for hosts or their property. Any damage caused by a guest should be reported to us promptly, and we will facilitate resolution — but we accept no liability for uninsured losses.

Host payouts are calculated as the total booking value minus the Language Travel UK service fee, as displayed in your Host dashboard at the time of booking.

Payouts are issued within 5 working days of the guest's confirmed arrival date, by the payment method registered in your account. Language Travel UK reserves the right to withhold or adjust a payout in the event of a verified complaint or breach of this agreement.

Hosts must not accept cash or any payment directly from guests outside of the platform. Any such payment is a material breach of this agreement and may result in removal from the platform.

Hosts must not cancel a confirmed booking except in genuine emergencies. If a Host cancels:

• The guest will receive a full refund including the service fee
• Language Travel UK will incur costs to find alternative accommodation
• Repeated cancellations may result in suspension or removal from the platform

Language Travel UK acts as an intermediary and is not liable for personal injury, loss, or damage arising from a guest's stay in the host property. However, Hosts remain liable to guests for any harm caused by the host's negligence or failure to meet the safety standards set out in this agreement.

Language Travel UK's total liability to a Host in connection with any individual booking shall not exceed the value of that booking's payout.

Language Travel UK may suspend or remove a Host from the platform at any time if the Host breaches this agreement, receives sustained negative reviews, fails a safeguarding or inspection check, or poses a risk to guest welfare.

For questions about this agreement, contact admin@languagetravel.co.uk.