Legal aspects 6. Liability for guests’ property by an inn-keeper


6.1 The scope of liability and restrictions to the kinds of property to which the liability applies


Under common law a hotelier is liable for the loss (for example disappearance) of a guest’s property brought into a hotel whether the hotelier or his staff has been negligent or not. Te hotelier or company owning the hotel is liable, although frequently guests wrongly claim from the manager of the hotel.


6.2 Limiting liability for the loss of guests’ property by referring to indemnities and notices


Indemnities A hotelier has the right to contract out of the common law liability for the whole amount of the loss by making the guest sign a suitable indemnity, before taking up residence in the hotel, to the effect that the hotelkeeper is released from all liability for any loss sustained by the guest.


Hotel registers Some hotel registers carry a notice at the top or bottom of the page to the effect that the hotel is not held liable for any losses suffered by the guest. Tis is not considered adequate indemnity. A frequent practice is the use of a register on which is printed in red the words “I hereby agree to the above conditions” immediately above the line where the guest writes his name. Tis type of register will afford better protection if properly completed by the guest.


Notices in bedrooms In many hotel bedrooms, notices are posted to the effect that the proprietor will not accept responsibility for loss of goods or valuables leſt in the room; these should be handed to the manager for safe custody, etc. Tese notices, however, are important when the issue of negligence has to be decided. Tis also applies to notices in car parking areas.


6.3 The points the guest must prove in order for a proprietor to be strictly liable for loss or damage to the property of a guest (also see the ‘in the workplace’ section)


As stated earlier, under common law, the innkeeper is responsible for any loss or damage, regardless of the presence or absence of negligence on his part, unless the loss was caused by negligence or fraud of the guest or by an act of God or the public enemy. Te only burden on the guest is to show that the guest’s property was lost while in the hotel.


Some countries that do not follow the common law rule have adopted the prima facie liability rule. Te prima facie liability rule states that, an innkeeper is only presumed to be liable for loss or damage to the goods of the guest and may exculpate himself by proving that the loss did not happen through any fault or negligence on his part or that of his employees.


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