By the Unity Stays directors, Marcus Chong & Gadir Al-Khatib · Last updated 12 August 2026
In short: Describe access honestly and in measurements — steps, door widths, lift or none — because demand for accessible short lets consistently exceeds supply and guests mainly lack reliable information, not properties. Never call a property accessible unless it genuinely is, always accept assistance dogs regardless of pet policy, and consider modest additions such as handrails, grab rails and lever taps.
Why this is a commercial opportunity, not just a duty
Guests with access needs report the same problem repeatedly: not that accessible properties do not exist, but that they cannot tell from a listing whether one will work, so they cannot risk booking it.
That means a property with genuinely accurate access information competes against a very small field, and attracts guests who book longer, return, and recommend.
It also overlaps heavily with markets you may already be serving. Step-free access matters to a guest with a suitcase, a family with a pushchair and a contractor with equipment, not only to a wheelchair user.
Describe it accurately, whatever it is
The single most valuable thing you can do costs nothing: describe the property honestly, in detail, including the parts that do not work.
"Three steps to the front door, no handrail." "Bathroom door 68cm wide." "Shower over bath, no level access." "Second floor, no lift." Measurements beat adjectives, because a guest with a specific need can make a decision from a number and cannot from the word "accessible".
Never describe a property as accessible unless it genuinely is. A guest who arrives to find they cannot use the bathroom has had their trip ruined, and it is entirely avoidable.
The legal position, in outline
Providers of services to the public have duties under equality legislation, including making reasonable adjustments. What is reasonable depends on the circumstances, the property and the cost.
Two things are clear enough to state plainly. Assistance dogs are not pets, and a blanket no-pets policy does not lawfully extend to them. And refusing a booking because of a disability, or applying different terms, risks a discrimination claim as well as breaching platform policy.
Beyond that, whether a physical alteration is a reasonable adjustment is fact-specific and worth advice rather than guesswork.
Improvements worth their cost
Most properties cannot become fully accessible, and that is not the ask. These are the changes that open a property to more guests at modest cost.
- A handrail on any external step, which helps far more people than it costs
- Grab rails by the bath or shower and the toilet — cheap, unobtrusive, and frequently the deciding factor
- Lever taps and door handles rather than knobs
- A shower seat, removable, stored rather than fixed
- Good lighting throughout, particularly on stairs and approaches
- Clear floor space — often achieved by removing furniture rather than adding anything
- Photographs of the entrance, bathroom and doorways, which let a guest assess it themselves
How we handle it
We describe what is actually there, including the awkward parts, and we photograph the entrance and bathroom rather than only the rooms that look best.
Where a guest asks a specific question we go and measure rather than estimating. A wrong answer to "how wide is the bathroom door" is worse than no answer.
And assistance dogs are always welcome regardless of a property's pet policy — which is both the law and the right answer.
A plain summary, not legal advice. Duties under equality legislation depend on the circumstances. Take advice if you are unsure about your obligations.