Start a spare-room bed and breakfast

Tourists, walkers and cyclists, visiting family and friends, contractors and business travellers staying a few nights.

A nightly room rate that includes breakfast. Income depends on your location, the season and how many nights a month the rooms are booked.

• Friendly, welcoming manner
• Basic cooking for breakfast
• Keeping rooms spotless
• Handling bookings and messages

• Check whether you need landlord or mortgage lender permission, and whether planning permission or business rates apply
• Fire safety: a fire risk assessment and suitable alarms are likely to be needed, check with your local fire service
• Food businesses should register with the council, and breakfast needs allergen and hygiene care
• Insurance: standard home insurance may not cover paying guests, so ask for suitable cover including public liability
• Income is seasonal in many areas, so plan for quiet months
• Tell HMRC about the income and check whether any tax reliefs apply to you

Startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on how many rooms you prepare, furnishings, safety equipment and insurance. These are estimates, so cost up your own rooms and breakfast set-up before taking bookings.

Monthly revenue is typically around £500 to £2,500, depending on how many rooms you let and where you are. These are estimates only, and income is seasonal in many areas, so plan for quiet months.

Check whether you need landlord or mortgage lender permission, and whether planning permission or business rates apply. Also check fire safety, council food registration, insurance for paying guests, and tell HMRC about the income.