Holiday Let Fire Risk Assessments
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO), conducting a fire risk assessment for holiday let properties is a legal requirement. Coupled with the new fire regulations coming into force on the 1st October 2023, it is now more important than ever to prioritise fire safety as a holiday let owner.
A thorough fire risk assessment is crucial not only for the safety of your paying guests, but also for your peace of mind as a property owner. By ensuring that your property is safe for renting to visitors, you can feel at ease knowing that you have taken the necessary steps to protect them from the risk of fire.
A holiday let fire risk assessment will identify potential fire hazards within the property and provide actionable recommendations based on the findings. It will also provide responsible persons with the necessary guidance to ensure the fire safety measures in place are sufficient.
It’s important to note that failure to ensure your fire safety measures are adequate could potentially result in enforcement action and penalties for property owners. Therefore, it is essential to prioritise the safety of your guests, and comply with the legal obligations to avoid such action.
By conducting a fire risk assessment, you will not only meet your legal requirements, but also demonstrate your commitment to the well-being of your guests. So make sure to include a fire risk assessment as one of the first items on your health and safety checklist as a holiday let owner.
New Fire Safety Regulations and Guidance for Holiday Let Owners
On the 1st October 2023, new fire regulations under Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 come into force. These regulations are aimed at strengthening fire safety in all premises regulated by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO).
Under the existing regulations, it is a legal requirement for all holiday let properties to have a fire risk assessment completed on them, regardless of size.
To assist Responsible Person(s) in complying with regulations, the Government has published new guidance for small paying-guest accommodation, which also comes into effect on 1st October 2023.
Holiday lets that fall under these criteria are defined as:
- Single premises of ground floor, or ground and first floor, providing sleeping accommodation for a maximum of 10 people, with no more than four bedrooms on the first floor. Examples include houses, cottages, and chalets.
OR
- Individual flats (whether within a purpose-built block of flats or a house that has been converted into flats), excluding unusually large flats (e.g. as often found in mansion blocks in London).
For larger and more complex holiday lets that do not meet the above criteria, the government guidance document “Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Sleeping Accommodation” still applies.
What SAMS can do for you
To ensure the safety of your holiday let, we believe it is crucial to ensure the use of a competent fire risk assessor with the right qualifications and experience.
At SAMS, we take pride in our exceptional fire risk assessment team. Our fire risk assessors hold esteemed qualifications, including the NEBOSH Fire certification and FPA (Fire Protection Association) credentials. Our lead fire risk assessor is also accredited and registered with the Institute of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM) on their Competent Fire Risk Assessors Register (CFRAR).
These qualifications equip our assessors with the most up-to-date knowledge and insights to effectively identify hazards, and offer tailored fire safety advice. With our highly qualified team, you can trust us to provide comprehensive fire risk assessments and expert guidance.
Our fire risk assessors will conduct a comprehensive and detailed fire risk assessment for your property. The report provided will include a thorough analysis of potential fire hazards, as well as actionable recommendations to ensure your property complies with the relevant regulations.
What is a fire risk assessment, and how do we conduct one?
All of this information is included on our main fire risk assessment page in our consultancy section. You can find this by visiting our fire risk assessments page.
Book your holiday let fire risk assessment
Please contact us for a quote by clicking the ‘quote now’ button at the top of the page. Alternatively, you can contact us on 01843 821406, via email at info@samsltd.co.uk or via our live chat box.