Tourist accommodation certification

If your premises fail to meet the minimum statutory standards for your chosen accommodation category, Tourism NI will either:

• refuse to issue you a certificate if you are a new business, or
• revoke the existing certificate if you are an established business

Either way, you will not be able to trade legally without a valid Tourism NI certificate.

When you're served with a notice of refusal or revocation, you can request a review of the decision within seven days from the date notice is issued. On review of the notice, Tourism NI will allow you to be heard in person, or by counsel or solicitors. Following the review, Tourism NI may withdraw the notice and issue a certificate or confirm the issue of the notice.

If the notice is confirmed, you may further appeal against the notice to the county court. On appeal, the county court may either allow the appeal, order Tourism NI to issue a certificate, or dismiss the appeal. The decision of the county court on an appeal is final.