Do I need a fire risk assessment for a holiday let or Airbnb?

Yes. If you charge guests to stay and the property is not occupied as a private dwelling, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies in England and Wales. You are the Responsible Person and must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, record it, act on it and keep it under review.

Why are holiday lets treated differently from a private home?

Guests do not know the layout and may be asleep when a fire starts. The Home Office guide for small paying guest accommodation therefore expects interlinked, mains-powered smoke and heat alarms, exits that open without a key, and escape lighting or rechargeable torches where guests would otherwise be in darkness.

How much does a holiday let fire risk assessment cost?

Through our matching network, small premises such as a cottage or single flat are typically £180–£350. Larger guest houses, multi-unit lets and other medium or sleeping-risk buildings are typically £350–£750. The assessor confirms the price after seeing the size, layout and number of guest bedrooms.

Can I do the holiday let fire risk assessment myself?

The Home Office guide is written so that hosts of small, simple premises can do it themselves using its template. If you do not feel confident interpreting the guidance for your property, engage a competent fire risk assessor. Either way, you remain responsible for the assessment and for acting on it.

How often should a holiday let fire risk assessment be reviewed?

The Fire Safety Order requires a regular review and a review whenever there is reason to think the assessment is no longer valid — for example after adding bedrooms, a hot tub, a log burner, a loft conversion or a change in the type of guests you accept.

Does the same guidance apply in Wales and Scotland?

The Fire Safety Order covers England and Wales, and the Welsh Government publishes its own guide for small guest accommodation. Scotland has separate fire safety law under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, so Scottish hosts should follow Scottish guidance.

Is BS 9792:2025 aimed at Airbnbs?

No. BS 9792 is the housing fire risk assessment standard for HMOs, blocks of flats and specialised housing. It does not cover typical short-term letting units. Your Fire Safety Order duty still applies; the method should suit paying guest accommodation.

Do I need a legionella risk assessment for a holiday let with a hot tub?

Yes, you should assess and control the risk. HSE guidance HSG282 covers hot tubs used as part of a business, including holiday rental units, and ACoP L8 covers the hot and cold water system. Many hosts book the fire and legionella assessments together in one coordinated visit.

Holiday Let & Airbnb Fire Risk Assessment: Do You Need One?

Q: Does the fire risk assessment for a holiday let have to be written down?

Yes. Since 1 October 2023, amendments made by section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 require every Responsible Person to record the fire risk assessment in full, including all findings and fire safety arrangements. If someone helps you with the assessment, record their name and organisation.

Holiday let fire risk assessment: if you charge guests to stay in a UK holiday let or Airbnb and the property is not someone’s private home, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies and you are the Responsible Person. You must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, record it in full (required since 1 October 2023), put the right precautions in place and review it regularly. The Home Office guide for small paying guest accommodation covers cottages, flats and lodges. Typical fees through our matching network: £180–£350 small premises, £350–£750 medium or sleeping-risk. Fire risk assessments · Get a quote.

Holiday let or Airbnb host needing an FRA? Get a fire risk assessment quote · Fire risk assessment service

Quick answer for hosts

Question	Short answer
Is an FRA a legal requirement?	Yes, under the Fire Safety Order 2005 (England and Wales) for paying guest accommodation.
Does it have to be written?	Yes. Since 1 October 2023 every Responsible Person must record the assessment in full.
Who enforces it?	Your local fire and rescue authority, which can inspect and issue notices.
Is there a fixed renewal date?	No. Review it regularly and whenever something significant changes.
Typical cost	£180–£350 small premises; £350–£750 medium or sleeping-risk buildings.

🔥 Want a first check before you book? Use our free Fire Safety Scorecard to spot obvious gaps, then request a fire risk assessment.

Why the Fire Safety Order applies to short-term lets

GOV.UK states plainly that the Fire Safety Order applies if you have paying guests — for example if you run a bed and breakfast or guest house, or let a self-catering property. The Home Office guide explains that premises with short-term, temporary paying guests who are not friends or family are unlikely to count as a private dwelling. That brings the property under the same legal framework as other non-domestic premises.

The reason is unfamiliarity. Guests do not know the layout, may arrive late and may be asleep when a fire starts. Your assessment should consider the full range of guests you accept — children, older people, anyone with limited mobility and anyone who may struggle with written English instructions.

What the Home Office guide expects in a small holiday let

The guide covers simple premises: a ground floor, or ground and first floor, sleeping up to 10 guests with no more than four first-floor bedrooms, plus individual flats. Larger or more complex premises should follow the national sleeping accommodation guidance instead. For small premises the guide typically expects:

Interlinked smoke and heat alarms. Mains-powered domestic alarms with a tamper-proof standby supply in hallways, stairs, living rooms and bedrooms, with a heat alarm in the kitchen, all interlinked so every alarm sounds together. A single standalone battery alarm will not normally meet this.
Exits that open without a key. Front and back doors should be easy to open from the inside — a simple latch or thumb-turn is usually enough.
Escape lighting. If borrowed light would not be enough to find the way out, provide emergency escape lighting. In the smallest premises, rechargeable torches that switch on automatically if the power fails can be acceptable — one per bedroom, with a sign explaining them.
Protected escape routes. Depending on layout, this may mean fire-resisting doors to the kitchen or rooms opening onto the stair. Your assessment decides what is proportionate.
Clear fire procedures for guests. A notice explaining what to do in a fire and how to call the fire and rescue service.
Routine checks. For example, monthly tests of alarms and torches or escape lighting, and checks that exit doors not in regular use still open easily.

Need a competent holiday let FRA? Request a quote through our nationwide matching network — or see fire risk assessments.

Recording and reviewing the assessment

Since 1 October 2023, amendments to the Fire Safety Order made by section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 require every Responsible Person to record the fire risk assessment in full, including all findings and the fire safety arrangements. The old exemption for small businesses with fewer than five employees no longer applies. If you appoint someone to help, record their name and organisation, and pass the records to any new Responsible Person if you sell or hand over management.

There is no fixed expiry date. Article 9 of the Order requires you to review the assessment regularly and whenever there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid. Common triggers for holiday lets are adding bedrooms or sofa beds, installing a log burner or hot tub, a loft conversion, a change of furniture or layout, and accepting larger groups.

Can I do the assessment myself?

The Home Office guide includes a template and is written so that hosts of small, simple premises can complete their own assessment. It also says that if you do not feel confident applying the guidance to your property, you should engage a competent fire risk assessor. Whichever route you take, you stay legally responsible for the assessment and for carrying out the actions it identifies — appointing an assessor does not transfer that duty.

A professional assessment is most useful where the layout is unusual (open-plan stairs, inner rooms, converted barns), where you sleep more guests, where there are several units on one site, or where an insurer or booking platform asks for evidence.

What can happen if you have no fire risk assessment?

Enforcement. Fire and rescue authorities inspect premises and can issue notices requiring changes, or prohibit use where the risk is serious.
Prosecution. Offences under the Fire Safety Order can lead to an unlimited fine and, for the most serious cases, imprisonment.
Insurance and platform problems. Check your policy wording and your booking platform’s host standards — many ask hosts to confirm they meet local fire safety law.

Hot tubs, water systems and the rest of the pack

Fire is only one part of compliance for a paying guest property. If your let has a hot tub or spa pool, HSE guidance HSG282 covers domestic-type hot tubs used as part of a business, including holiday rental units, and expects regular water quality checks and maintenance. The hot and cold water system falls under HSE’s Approved Code of Practice L8. Book a legionella risk assessment alongside the FRA — typical bands are £90–£180 for a simple domestic system and £150–£350 for more complex systems, and both can be arranged as one coordinated visit.

💧 Hot tub or several showers? Try our Legionella Risk Calculator, then request a combined fire and legionella quote.

How to get your holiday let assessed

Request a quote. Tell us the postcode, number of guest bedrooms and storeys, and whether you also want legionella covered.
Assessor visit. A vetted independent assessor from our network inspects escape routes, alarms, doors, lighting, ignition sources and guest information.
Act on the findings. Have recommended works — for example interlinked alarms or thumb-turn locks — fitted by competent tradespeople you choose. We do not sell remedial work.
Keep the record. File the written assessment, put the fire procedure in the guest information, and set a review date.

Official sources

Checked 2 October 2026:

Ready to get your holiday let assessed?

Request a fire risk assessment through Safety Certificates UK’s matching network — we introduce vetted independent assessors and do not assess in-house. Get a quote and add legionella if your let has a hot tub or stored hot water.

Guidance only — not legal advice. Requirements depend on the premises and enforcing authority. Arrange a formal on-site assessment where needed.

Holiday Let Fire Risk Assessment