Question 1

Does HSG282 cover my Airbnb or holiday let?

Accepted Answer

If the hot tub forms part of a stay that guests pay for, then yes. HSG282 is the HSE's guidance for spa pools run in connection with a business, and that wording takes in holiday lets, B&Bs and holiday parks. A tub used only by your own household falls outside it.

Question 2

How many times a day must I test the water?

Accepted Answer

For a holiday-let tub, HSG282 expects at least two tests a day while guests have use of it, usually one before first use and one later, with each result written into a log.

Question 3

What chlorine level should the tub run at?

Accepted Answer

Business spa pools are given a range of 3-5 mg/l free chlorine, or 4-6 mg/l bromine if that is your sanitiser, alongside a pH of 7.0-7.6. That sits higher than most domestic advice, which is one reason a proper compliance routine matters.

Question 4

Do I honestly have to empty the tub between every group of guests?

Accepted Answer

Yes. For holiday lets HSG282 expects a full drain, clean and refill between each guest group, plus a shock dose as part of the changeover. It also expects a drain and clean if the tub has been sitting unused.

Question 5

Which records am I expected to keep?

Accepted Answer

A written log of test results, chemical dosing, water changes and cleaning, along with your risk assessment and the safety data sheets for the chemicals you store. Keep them for at least five years. Zagosa's free Water Insight tool can hold your test history for you.

Question 6

Do I need balancers as well as a sanitiser?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sanitiser only performs properly when pH sits at 7.0-7.6, and total alkalinity is what stops pH wandering between tests. That is why pH Plus, pH & Alkalinity Reducer and Total Alkalinity Increaser belong alongside your chlorine. Even a correctly dosed tub can drift out of the HSG282 range if the water is out of balance.

Question 7

Can I run bromine or chlorine dioxide instead of chlorine?

Accepted Answer

Yes. HSG282 permits bromine at 4-6 mg/l, and some operators prefer it because it stays more stable at spa temperatures. Zagosa stocks bromine granules and tablets, plus chlorine dioxide, which is often used to deep-clean pipework and tackle biofilm during the changeover.

Question 8

Is an inflatable hot tub acceptable for a holiday let?

Accepted Answer

No. HSG282 does not treat inflatable spa pools as acceptable for commercial use, because they cannot be cleaned and continuously disinfected reliably. A business tub is expected to be a rigid pool with a continuous automatic dosing system.

Question 9

Do I have to send water away for legionella testing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Routine microbiological sampling for legionella and pseudomonas is part of the HSG282 regime and is carried out by an accredited laboratory, not a test strip. How often you sample is set by your risk assessment, and your daily strip tests run alongside it rather than replacing it.

Question 10

Do I still need a risk assessment on top of testing the water?

Accepted Answer

Yes. HSG282 expects a general health and safety risk assessment plus a COSHH assessment covering legionella and the chemicals you keep. Your test log and safety data sheets feed into that assessment, but they are not a stand-in for writing it.

Question 11

Is my regulator the council or the HSE?

Accepted Answer

It comes down to how much you let. As a rough guide, if you provide holiday accommodation for more than 20 weeks a year your local council's environmental health team regulates you, and below that it is the HSE. The HSG282 duties are the same either way.

Question 12

Can I get trade pricing across several properties?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We supply holiday parks, property managers and multi-property hosts at trade rates. Send us a few details about your site through the contact page and we will set your account up with trade pricing.

Hot Tub Chemicals for Holiday Lets & Airbnb