Reasons for
‘Cowboy’ hoteliers are giving reputable businesses a bad name.
High customer complaint levels, particularly in London.
Poor accommodation deters repeat visits to the UK.
Voluntary schemes are easily avoided by bad operators.
Customers often buy hotel accommodation ‘blind’, and they need to be protected by minimum standards.
If standards improve, this will eventually generate more business and lead to higher profitability.
In places where demand for tourist accommodation exceeds supply, such as London, bad operators can flourish.
Reasons against
The industry would have to pay for statutory inspections, leading to higher hotel prices, and possibly forcing some establishments out of business.
Hotels are already over regulated.
Statutory registration might lead to even more stringent regulation, such as price controls.
Market forces are sufficient to push cowboy operators out of the market.
A certain amount of cheap, low-standard accommodation is needed to service both the student and backpacker markets.