Holiday rental contract - Free template [PDF]

June 2025

Ready to get started with your holiday rental business? Before you advertise your holiday home, make sure you have a rental contract ready to go. This is an essential part of your business — and you’ll be glad to have it if something goes wrong. Read on for all you need to know about short term rental agreements, including a free holiday holiday house rental contract template.

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Why do I need a rental contract to rent my holiday home?

A rental contract may seem unnecessarily fussy — and you may well have stayed in accommodation without signing anything. However, it’s an absolute necessity for a successful holiday rental business. It’s true that most of your customers will probably be well-behaved and problem-free. However, from time to time, every holiday home owner has to deal with a guest who causes trouble. A short term let agreement can save you a lot of headaches.

While you might put some information about your house rules on your holiday rental website, guests won’t necessarily read it. A contract is different. It should clearly outline the responsibilities of both you and your guests, as well as explain what will happen if the rules are broken. Essentially, it acts as a safeguard to protect you from troublesome guests.

What should be included in my holiday rental contract?

Our holiday house rental agreement template gives you a good idea of how to format your contract and what to include. If you want to make your own version, here are the basics that you need:

• Full names of the owner and the guest in charge of the booking
• Address and description of the property
• The full amount of rent to pay, along with payment details
• Any additional charges to pay
• Details of the security deposit
• Dates of the stay
• Number of guests who will be staying
• Restrictions on the use of the property — for example, the maximum number of people allowed to stay, no pets allowed, no smoking or vaping, etc
• Cancellation conditions
• Maintenance and cleaning responsibilities
• Check-in and check-out times

You may need more specific information, depending on the region in which your holiday rental is based. Always check in advance to make sure that everything is correct and complete.

Are there any extra terms and conditions I should include in my holiday home rental contract?

Of course, the exact nature of your contract will depend on the property. In addition to checking for specific legal clauses that must be included in your city or region, consider some of these:

• Does your property have a swimming pool or hot tub? You might want to specify that children cannot use it without supervision and that diving is not permitted.
• Is your property located by the beach? Request that guests use beach towels rather than taking bath towels with them.
• Does your property have a parking space? Make sure that the location of the space is clear, and set a limit on the number of vehicles allowed to park there.
• Allowing no parties is a common clause in holiday rental contracts. If you’re worried that your guests may try to hold a party, then make sure to point this clause out to them when they sign the contract.
• Permitting no hen or stag dos is another clause that some landlords prefer.
• Some landlords like to include information about cleaning expectations. For example, do you want guests to strip the beds and empty the bins before they leave? If so, you should probably make sure you have that in writing.

There’s an element of trial and error involved in setting terms and conditions in your rental contract. Remember, don’t overload your guests with too many clauses. The longer the contract is, the less likely they are to read it.

Is a holiday house rental agreement legally binding?

If you have a dispute with a guest, then you’ll want to use your contract to back up your position — but can you?

It’s important to know that short term rental agreements are usually legally binding once the lead guest has signed them. However, that’s not always the case. Your rental agreement may be considered null and void if it contains unfair clauses. For example, excessive cancellation fees may be considered to be unfair. Our holiday house rent agreement format can help you create a contract that is fair. If you want to be completely safe, you can always ask a legal expert to look over your contract.

When should you give your guest a copy of your holiday rental contract?

Some landlords like to send a copy of the contract to guests as soon as they make a booking, which allows them to read your cancellation policy in advance. Your holiday rental platform will also usually allow you to post some information about your terms and conditions in your listing.

To ensure that your contract is as correct as possible, you should email your guest to check their details. You’ll need information such as their full legal name and the number of guests who will be staying. This allows you to create a contract with accurate information, which you can present to guests when they arrive.

Make sure that the lead guest signs the contract in a timely fashion. Some troublemakers may try to put it off, hoping that you’ll forget. Be polite but firm. Think about a hotel: guests are not given their room keys until they have signed an agreement. That level of strictness is rarely practical in a holiday rental, but you should still aim to get a signature quickly.

What other documents do I need with my short term lease agreement?

A rental contract is essential when you want to rent your holiday apartment, but there are other documents to consider, too. It’s always a good idea to give guests an up-to-date copy of your property inventory. Items going missing or getting damaged can often cause problems between landlords and guests. If you both sign off an inventory, then you’ll be prepared for any disputes that may arise.

If you’re running a dog-friendly rental, then you might also want to prepare a pet consent form. This should be updated with each guest, listing the pet’s name and breed. Make it clear that only the named dog is allowed on the property. A pet consent form may also contain a clause that covers dog-related damage and cleaning costs. Again, this is particularly useful in the case of a dispute at the end of the stay.

Now that you know the importance of a holiday rental contract, it’s time to create yours. Use our house rental agreement template to help you prepare your rental contract and get ready to welcome guests.

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