HOST FAMILY ACCOMMODATION REGULATIONS *

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 409.10

HOST FAMILY ACCOMMODATION

REGULATIONS *

31st May, 2002

LEGAL NOTICE 130 of 2002, as amended by Act XXIX of 2019.

The title of these regulations is the Host Family

Accommodation Regulations.

Host family accommodation detailed standards

1. Guest Bedroom

1.1. General

1. Each room must have a separate and independent entrance

2. Maximum number of bedrooms: 4

3. Minimum size of single bedroom: 9.5 square metres

4. Minimum size of twin bedroom: 13 square metres

5. Minimum size of triple bedroom: 18 square metres

1.2. Bed

1. Minimum bed sizes: 85 x 190 cm for single, or 135 cm x 190 for double

2. Bed linen: 2 sheets, pillow sheet, blanket and bedspread cover

3. One pillow per person

4. Extra blanket per person available (only in winter time)

5. Bed sheets changed once a week

6. Maximum number of beds allowed per unit: 4

1.3. Furniture and Comfort

1. Window allowing natural light and ventilation in room

2. Blackout curtain (or similar)

3. One chair or armchair

4. One bedside table or night table

5. Non slip bedside carpets

6. One writing table with lamp stand or similar

7. One wastepaper basket

8. One mirror

9. Wardrobe with 5 clothes hangers per person

10. Heating (only in winter time)

11. Fan

(1)

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise

requires -

"Act" means the Malta Travel and Tourism Services Act;

"allocation agreement" has the meaning as assigned to it in the

Travel Operators and Organised Excursion Operators Regulations;

"incoming tourism operation" means an operation by an

incoming tourism agent and by a destination management company,

and "incoming tourism operator" shall be construed accordingly;

"educational institution"refers to an institution as referred to in

article 49 of the Education Act;

"host family" means the person in whose name the licence for the

accommodation of tourists has been issued and who resides in any

building, howsoever described, not being a hotel, guest house,

hostel or holiday premises, wh ich is normally u sed for t he

permanent or temporary habitation of the licensee and is used or

intended to be used for the concurrent habitation of guests;

(2) Words and expressions used in these regulations and which

are also used in the Act shall, unless the context otherwise requires,

have the same meaning as in the Act.

(1) The Authority shall not issue a licence to a host family

unless it is satisfied that

(a) the house where the guests are to be accommodated is

the residence, for the time being, of the applicant and

is suitable for the concurrent habitation of guests and

is not already so licensed; and

(b) the applicant and his household are of good character

and are fit to receive and provide accommodation to

guests in their residence.

(2) An applicant wishing to provide accommodation to guests

registered to attend a school licensed under the Education Act and

the National Minimum Conditions (Schools Teaching English as a

Foreign Language) Regulations, or any other educational

institution shall produce -

*These regulations have been repealed by Legal Notice 92 of 2026.

(a) documentary evidence that he has an allocation

agreement with a licensed school or educational

institution and that he and his household are certified

as possessing a good command of the English

language by a licensed school or educational

institution recognised by the Ministry responsible for

Education;

(b) a floor sketch plan together with a detailed description

of

(i)

the room or rooms and their respective

measurements intended for use as bedrooms by

the guests and the number of beds in each

bedroom; and

(ii) the bathroom or bathrooms and respective

measurements intended to be used by guests; and

(c) a declaration that the accommodation complies with

the standard requirements as indicated in the Schedule

jointly signed by the applicant and a representative of

a school or educational institution.

(1) The licensee shall not use any other rooms for the

accommodation of guests except those indicated in the sketch plan

submitted with the application.

(2) The number of guest rooms shall not exceed four, and the

number of guests, at any time, shall not exceed four

Provided that the Authority may determine a lesser number

of rooms or beds to be licensed if, in its opinion, the premises are

not suitable to accommodate the maximum number of guests

concurrently with the number of persons living in the house.

(1) The applicant shall submit a valid police conduct

certificate of himself and a declaration that neither he nor any

member of his household have been convicted for drug related

offences or for crimes against the good order of families.

(2) The applicant shall grant the Authority the right to have

access to his police record and to that of the members of his

household.

(1) An incoming tourism operator or any other person

entrusted with making the accommodation arrangements or, in the

case of guests following a course of studies organised by a school

o r oth er educat io nal inst itu ti on, t he H ead of Schoo l o r the

educational institution responsible for the students’ non-academic

arrangements, shall ensure that

(a) such guests are accommodated only with host families

licensed for the purpose; and

(b) where the guest is following a course of studies, the

host family providing the accommodation is

contracted with the school or educational institution as

the case may be.

(2) The provisions of Part C entitled "Non-Academic Matters"

of the National Minimum Conditions (Schools Teaching English as

a Foreign Language) Regulations shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to

any person or body corporate that allocates guests to a host family

house.

(3) Any authorised person including representations of a

person, including licensed schools or educational institutions, may

carry out inspections of the premises of a host family contracted

with them in order to ensure compliance with the provisions of the

Act and these regulations.

(4) A person holding a host family licence shall not prevent a

duly authorised representative of the Authority or of the licensed

school or of the educational institution from carrying out at any

reasonable times, interviews and random inspections of the house

in order to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Act and

with these regulations.

(5) No representative of a licensed school shall give false or

misleading information to the Authority about the applicant and the

licensed premises.

(1) An applicant who wishes to accommodate guests of

minor age shall be deemed to recognise the need for and shall be

bound to a higher level of care towards minors and their general

well-being during their stay and shall provide an environment

within the host family consonant with the age of the minor.

(2) The responsibility of the applicant in this respect shall

include, but shall not be limited to -

(a) giving access at all times to the premises where such

accommodation is being provided;

(b) the provision of appropriate meals to any minor

accommodated in the premises.

The Authority may suspend or withdraw a licence as

provided for in article 46 of the Act, and also if so recommended by

the Monitoring Board established under the National Minimum

Conditions (Schools Teaching English as a Foreign Language)

Regulations.

The standard requirements for a house to qualify for a host

family license shall be those indicated in the Schedule.

Any person who fails to comply with any of the provisions

of these regulations shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable

to the fines and penalties as indicated in articles 43 and 45 of the

Act.

General lighting in good functioning order

Individual bedside reading light

Availability of one electric socket

1.4. Cleaning and General State of Bedroom

1. Cleaning of bedroom at least once a week

2. Good state of bedroom, furniture and fittings

3. Good state of furnishings and linen

4. Good cleaning of furniture

2. Bathroom

HOST FAMILY ACCOMMODATION

When a bathroom is shared, it must have independent access

2.1. Sanitary facilities

Continuous supply of cold and hot water for sanitary ware *

1.

2. Water closet

3. Two toilet paper rolls available in bathroom

4. Wash-hand basin

5. Wrapped soap or soap distributor

6. Sanitary bin

7. Disposal bag

2.2. Bath / Shower

1. Continuous supply of cold and hot water

2. Shower cubicle or fixed bath tub

3. Bath/shower wall built with waterproof, impervious material

4. Towel hanger

5. Bathroom mat (towel) for bath tub or shower

6. Shelving or facility for holding toiletries

7. Mirror

8. One bath towel and one small towel per person

2.3. Complementary and miscellaneous

1. General lighting to enable correct vision in all bathroom areas

2. Each bathroom with effective system of natural or mechanical ventilation

2.4. Cleaning and General State of Bathroom

1. Cleaning of bathroom twice a week

2. Good state of bathroom, fixtures and fittings

3. Good state of furniture and towels

4. Towels changed twice a week

*supply of hot water for water cistern not applicable.