Fire safety for holiday lets in England: what you need and a checklist

In short

From the Home Office guide for small paying guest accommodation. Not legal advice.

The law applies even for one night. If you charge guests to stay in a property in England, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies.
You need a written fire risk assessment specific to the property. For small, simple places you can do it yourself; you stay legally responsible either way.
Typical cottage kit: interlinked mains smoke alarms with backup battery (Grade D1) in the hall, landing, living room and bedrooms, a heat alarm in the kitchen, carbon monoxide alarms if the property has a gas or solid fuel appliance, and solid doors onto the hall and stairs.
Keep it up: test alarms at every changeover and at least monthly, and review the assessment yearly and after any change.
Who checks: your local fire and rescue service, which may inspect.
Do now: work through the free checklist below (ticks save on this device).

Here is what the official Home Office guide for small holiday lets, B&Bs and self-catering says, in plain English, plus a checklist you can tick off.

The law: the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Who it applies to: the "responsible person", usually the owner or letting agent. Who enforces it: your local fire and rescue service, which may inspect.

What you must do

Carry out a fire risk assessment specific to the property, and record it in writing, including anyone especially at risk.
Provide adequate fire safety measures, such as escape routes and alarms, and take steps to stop fires starting.
Keep those measures in good working order.
Have fire procedures and tell guests what to do in a fire.
Review the assessment regularly (yearly is usually right) and after any significant change or a fire.
Pass the fire safety information, including who did the assessment, to anyone who takes over responsibility for the property.

What a typical two-storey cottage needs

From the guide's worked examples for a two-storey house or cottage. Your own risk assessment decides the final list.

Area	Typical measure
Escape route	Hall and stairs protected for 30 minutes. Doors onto them should be solid fire-resisting doors but do not need self-closers. Bathroom, toilet and cupboard doors don't need to be fire doors.
Alarms	Mains-powered (with tamper-proof backup battery), interlinked smoke alarms in the hall, landing, living room and bedrooms, plus a heat alarm in the kitchen.
Lighting	No emergency lighting needed if there is a torch in each bedroom or plug-in night lights on the stairs and hall.
Equipment	Optional: fire extinguisher and fire blanket in the kitchen.
Signs and info	No fire exit signs needed. A fire action notice, the full address and postcode, and how to call the emergency services.
Log burner or gas	Carbon monoxide alarms (the guide's listed-cottage example puts them in the lounge and kitchen). LPG cookers need a cut-off on the supply pipe.

Flats, studios, caravans, glamping pods, shepherds' huts and yurts follow different examples. For caravans, pods and similar, the Home Office suggests its 5-step checklist instead. Bigger or more complex properties (for example more than 10 guests, or a second-floor bedroom) are outside the small-premises guide.

Fire safety checklist

Based on the Home Office fire risk assessment checklist. Ticks are stored only on this device.

Escape and alarms

Escape routes (hall, stairs) clear of storage Exit doors open from inside without a key (latch or thumb turn) No guest bedroom reached only through another room, unless on the ground floor with a direct exit or escape window Doors onto the stairs and hall are solid, well-fitting doors (hollow or thin-panel doors replaced with 30-minute fire doors) Interlinked smoke alarms in hall, landing, living rooms and bedrooms Heat alarm in the kitchen (and utility or laundry room) Alarms mains powered with a sealed backup battery (Grade D1); sealed 10-year battery alarms (Grade F1) only as a stop-gap Torch in each bedroom, or plug-in night lights on the stairs and hall, if escape lighting is not fitted Fire blanket and extinguisher in the kitchen (optional for self-catering, but common)

Paperwork and guests

Written fire risk assessment, specific to this property, recorded and kept Name of whoever did the assessment recorded (if you used an assessor) Fire action notice and escape plan for guests (back of bedroom door or welcome pack) Exact address and postcode, and how to call 999, given to guests Smoke and heat alarms tested at every changeover and at least monthly Testing and maintenance log kept (paper or digital) Assessment reviewed at least yearly, and after any change or fire Fire safety information ready to hand over if someone else takes on the property

Changeover and maintenance routine

Every changeover (self-catering): test smoke and heat alarms, check exit doors open easily, check any torches or escape lights work, and check fire doors close properly.
Monthly: test alarms, torches and any emergency lights.
Every 6 months: check fire doors for damage and fit.
Yearly: service gas appliances, heating and any extinguishers; sweep chimneys; review your risk assessment.
Every 5 years: electrical installation inspection and test.
About every 10 years: replace smoke alarms (typical lifespan).

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Next England dates we're watching:

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Common questions

Do holiday lets in England need a fire risk assessment?

Yes. If you charge someone to stay and the property is not being occupied as a private dwelling, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies, even for one night. You must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and record the findings.

Can I do the fire risk assessment myself?

For small, simple properties, yes, if you feel able to. The Home Office guide is written so most owners can do it without specialist knowledge. If you are not confident, use a competent fire risk assessor. You stay legally responsible either way.

Do I need to write the fire risk assessment down?

Yes. You must keep a record of the completed assessment, including its findings and anyone you identify as especially at risk. The guide says you should also record who carried it out.

What smoke alarms does a holiday let need?

The guide recommends interlinked smoke alarms in hallways, landings, living rooms and bedrooms, and a heat alarm in the kitchen. They should be mains powered with a backup battery (Grade D1). Sealed long-life battery alarms (Grade F1) may be accepted for around 2 to 3 years until D1 alarms are fitted.

Do I need fire doors in a holiday cottage?

Not usually full fire doors with closers. In a typical two-storey house or cottage, solid, well-fitting doors onto the hall and stairs are normally acceptable. Hollow-core or thin-panel doors, and plain glazing in doors, will normally need replacing with 30-minute fire doors.

Do I have to provide a fire extinguisher?

Not for guests in self-catering lets. The guide says guests should not be expected to fight fires, but you may wish to provide a small extinguisher and fire blanket in the kitchen. If staff are on site or visit regularly, firefighting equipment should be provided and staff trained.

How often should I test the alarms?

Domestic smoke and heat alarms should be tested at least monthly. In self-catering lets where you are not present, do the weekly and monthly checks at every changeover.

Who enforces fire safety in holiday lets?

Your local fire and rescue service. It may inspect your property and can give advice, but it cannot do the risk assessment for you.

Does this guide apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

No. The Home Office guide applies only to England. Wales has its own guidance, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have different (but similar) fire safety laws.

Elsewhere in the UK

This guide covers England only. In Scotland, see short-term let fire safety in Scotland, and fire safety is part of the licence conditions: see how to get a Scottish short-term let licence. For Wales see holiday let fire safety in Wales. See also Wales rules and Northern Ireland rules.

Official sources

Show all official sources (4)

Not legal advice. Summarised from the Home Office guide, checked 2026-10-29. You remain responsible for your own fire risk assessment. If in doubt, use a competent fire risk assessor or ask your local fire and rescue service.

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