THE CONCEPT OF INNS,

DUTIES, LIABILITIES AND

RIGHTS OF INNKEEPERS

INTRODUCTION
An inn is defined as a place where lodgings are made available to
the public for a charge, such as a hotel, motel, hostel, or guest
house. A guest is a transient who receives accommodations at an
inn, transiency being the major characteristic distinguishing him or
her from a boarder. In order for the relationship of innkeeper and
guest to be established, the parties must intend to have such a
relationship. The individual accommodated must be received as a
guest and must obtain accommodations in such capacity. The
individual need not, however, register.
An innkeeper must accept all unobjectionable individuals offering
themselves as guests, provided the innkeeper has available
accommodations and the guests are willing to pay the reasonable
charges. Proper grounds for a refusal to receive a proposed guest
are ordinarily restricted to either lack of accommodations or the
unsuitability of the guest.

THE CONCEPT OF INN UNDER THE COMMON

LAW
In practice, common law systems are considerably more
complicated than the simplified system described above. The
decisions of a court are binding only in a particular jurisdiction,
and even within a given jurisdiction, some courts have more power
than others. For example, in most jurisdictions, decisions by
appellate courts are binding on lower courts in the same
jurisdiction and on future decisions of the same appellate court,
but decisions of lower courts are only non-binding persuasive
authority. Interactions between common law, constitutional law,
statutory law and regulatory law also give rise to considerable
complexity. However, stare decisis, the principle that similar cases
should be decided according to consistent principled rules so that
they will reach similar results, lies at the heart of all common law
systems. One third of the world's population (approximately 2.3
billion people) live in common law jurisdictions or in systems
mixed with civil law.

THE CONCEPT OF INN UNDER

THE COMMON LAW
This Act may be cited as the Innkeepers Act 1952. (2) This Act
applies to Peninsular Malaysia only. Interpretation.
. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-- "goods"
means any movable property;
"inn" means any hotel, boarding-house or other place where any
person is harboured or lodged for any kind whatsoever of hire
or reward and where any domestic service whatsoever is
rendered by the owner, lessee, principal tenant, occupier or
manager to the person so harboured or lodged, licensed under
any written law for the time being in force in Peninsular
Malaysia;

CONTINUE ..
"innkeeper" means the keeper of any such inn and includes a
company or corporation;
"manager" means the agent or servant of the innkeeper for the
time being in charge of the inn or any person duly appointed by
the innkeeper to receive the goods of his guests for safe custody;
"Peninsular Malaysia" has the meaning assigned thereto in
section 3 of the Interpretation Acts 1948 and 1967 [Act 388],
and includes the Federal Territory.

INNKEEPERS DUTIES TOWARD THE PROPERTY OF

GUEST

An innkeeper is a hospitality professional who runs an inn, an

establishment which provides lodging, food, and drink. Innkeepers
can be found working all over the world in a variety of settings, from
luxury bed and breakfast inns in popular vacation spots to specialty
inns which offer features like pet-friendly lodging, historical
reenactments, or themed lodging. Working as an innkeeper can be
very challenging, with this kind of work being ideal for people who
can think on their feet and get along with everyone.

Historically, innkeepers owned their establishments, and they lived on

the premises. This is still the case with some innkeepers, but in other
cases innkeepers may live off site, and they may or may not own the
inn

DUTIES OF INKEEPERS

The duties of an innkeeper vary, depending on the establishment. In

a small inn, the innkeeper may cook, clean, and do everything for the
guests. In larger inns, a housekeeping staff may be used for cleaning
services, with the innkeeper focusing on taking reservations, helping
guests organize activities, and welcoming guests; in some cases, the
innkeeper is simply a regular staff member, rather than a manager or
head of the inn. In lieu of an innkeeper, a cooking staff may do
anything from providing casual breakfast foods to cooking luxury
dinners and providing picnic baskets and other food-related services.

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Innkeepers receive varying levels of education. Some have
degrees in hospitality or hotel management, especially if they
are acting as the heads of large inn staffs, while others may
simply hold high school diplomas, concerning themselves with
guest relations and leaving management tasks to an inn
manager. People can find innkeeping jobs by looking at local
listings in newspapers, and through listings published by
professional organizations of innkeepers, which may be
available to members only.

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In addition to handling the reservations system at an inn,
innkeepers are also typically responsible for guest relations.
They greet guests when they arrive and help them settle in, and
they provide information about the local area which may be
beneficial for guests. Guests may make arrangements for
various activities before they arrive through an innkeeper,
ranging from planning a wedding to purchasing tickets to the
museum, and innkeepers also deal with special needs, like
guests who may need medical attention during their stay, or
guests who want childcare services so that they can enjoy a
night on the town.

RIGHT OF INNKEEPERS

Refusing Service
Innkeepers have the right to refuse service to guests
if the situation warrants it. Visitors demonstrating
public intoxication, sickness or dysfunctional
behaviour may be turned away at the discretion of
the host. Violent or offensive behaviour by potential
guests may initiate refusal of room accommodations
by the inn staff.

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Theft
If a guest's room is pillaged during his stay, the innkeeper is not held responsible for
stolen belongings or valuables. Liability signs are generally located in conspicuous
areas in numerous locations in the building. Hotels usually provide small safes for
securely storing expensive or important items. Any items not safely stowed away
risk being stolen.
Privacy
Aside from a few circumstances, innkeepers are generally not permitted inside a
guest's room during her stay. Hotel or inn guests are given privacy in their room,
unless their behaviour warrants staff attention. In an emergency or during a change
of accommodations, an innkeeper may be present in a guest's room. The guest may
also request in-room assistance from the innkeeper, thus giving him permission to
be there.