Holiday let and Airbnb fire risk assessment
If you let a home or rooms to paying guests, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies and you are the Responsible Person. The gov.uk guide for small paying guest accommodation, such as a small B&B, guest house or self-catering let, explains what is expected.
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What the law asks
- Assess the fire risk of the premises under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 if you are the Responsible Person: usually the employer, owner or whoever controls the premises.
- Record all the findings, your fire safety arrangements and who carried out the assessment. Since 1 October 2023 this applies to every Responsible Person, whatever the size of the business (Building Safety Act 2022, section 156).
- Review it regularly and whenever something significant changes.
Government guide for this type of premises: Making your small paying guest accommodation safe from fire. Checked October 2026. FireRiskKit is written for England and Wales.
Typical fire hazards
- Guests cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen
- Wood burners, open fires and portable heaters
- Candles and smoking
- Chargers and electrical items brought by guests
- Escape routes through a single staircase or locked doors
People at risk
- Guests asleep at night who do not know the building
- Children and older guests
- Cleaners between stays
Precautions to check
- Interlinked smoke alarms, tested before each stay
- Carbon monoxide alarms where there is a fuel-burning appliance
- Escape doors that open without a key from inside
- Fire safety information for guests, including what to do and the address for 999 calls
- A fire blanket in the kitchen
Choose “Holiday let and Airbnb” in FireRiskKit and the template asks about these points, then turns every gap into a dated action with an owner.
When to use a professional
A small cottage or flat can be assessed by the owner using the gov.uk guide. Use a competent assessor for larger properties, those with rooms on three or more floors, or where guests sleep above a business.
Fill in the template in your browser, add your own findings and download a signed PDF with the action plan.
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Does a room on Airbnb count?
Letting a room or a whole home to paying guests is the kind of B&B or self-catering accommodation the gov.uk guide covers. Treat it the same way: assess, record and give guests fire safety information.
Do I need fire doors in a holiday cottage?
Not always. It depends on the layout and escape route. The gov.uk guide sets out what is expected for different property sizes; your assessment records the decision.
Other premises
See also: Do I need a fire risk assessment? · Fire risk assessment checklist