Food, Drink & Hospitality Property letting UK-wide

Holiday let safety requirements and compliance

Health and safety requirements for self-catering holiday accommodation. Covers fire safety, gas safety, electrical safety, legionella prevention, risk assessment, record keeping, and building a compliance pack for inspections.

Guide summary

You must carry out a fire risk assessment, get annual gas safety checks, and assess legionella risks at your holiday let. Keep written records of inspections and share safety information with guests. Fit smoke alarms on every floor and carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with gas appliances (except gas cookers). Follow temperature rules for hot and cold water to stop bacteria growing.

  • Do a fire risk assessment and keep a written record if you have 5 or more staff
  • Fit smoke alarms on every floor and test them regularly
  • Fit carbon monoxide alarms near any fixed gas appliance (not gas cookers)
  • Have a fire blanket in the kitchen and a fire extinguisher that fits the property
  • Get an annual gas safety check from a Gas Safe registered engineer
  • Keep gas safety records for 2 years and show guests within 28 days of the check
  • Do an electrical check (EICR) every 3 to 5 years for commercial premises
  • In Scotland, a valid EICR is needed every 5 years for your short-term let licence
  • Assess legionella risk and keep hot water above 60°C and cold below 20°C
  • Flush unused taps, showers and toilets weekly and between bookings
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Health and safety requirements

As a holiday let operator, you're the 'responsible person' for health and safety at your property. This applies whether you have employees or not.

Fire safety

Fire safety is especially important for premises with sleeping accommodation. You must carry out a fire risk assessment and implement appropriate measures.

INFORMATION

Why 'non-domestic premises' applies to you

You may see references to fire safety rules for 'non-domestic premises'. This sounds like it's about offices or factories, but it includes any building with paying guests - even a small cottage.

If people pay to stay at your property, it's treated as non-domestic for fire safety purposes. This means:

  • You're the 'responsible person' for fire safety
  • You must do a fire risk assessment
  • A fire safety officer may visit to check compliance
  • You could face enforcement action if safety measures are inadequate

Don't be put off by the terminology - the practical requirements for a small holiday let are manageable. The government publishes specific guidance for small paying guest accommodation.

For holiday accommodation specifically, ensure you have:

  • Working smoke alarms on every floor (tested regularly)
  • Carbon monoxide alarms in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers. (The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, as amended in 2022, formally apply to specified tenancies; for holiday lets the same standard is expected through your fire risk assessment and gas safety duties)
  • Clear escape routes with emergency lighting
  • Fire blanket in the kitchen
  • Fire extinguisher (appropriate to property size)
  • Fire safety information displayed for guests

Fire safety inspections: Be aware that a fire and rescue service officer can visit to check your compliance. They focus on whether your risk assessment is appropriate and your safety measures are in place - not on catching you out.

Gas safety

If your property has gas appliances, you need annual safety checks by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Electrical safety

Electrical installations must be safe. In England and Wales there is no specific legal requirement for regular electrical testing in holiday lets (unlike residential lettings), but regular checks protect you and your guests. In Scotland, a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR, renewed at least every 5 years) is a mandatory condition of your short-term let licence.

Water safety and legionella

You must assess and control the risk of legionella in your water systems. This is particularly important for properties left unoccupied between bookings.

Between bookings: Run all taps, showers, and flush toilets to prevent water stagnation. Keep hot water stored above 60°C and delivered above 50°C at taps.

General risk assessment

Assess hazards guests might encounter and take reasonable steps to reduce risks. Document your assessment.

Common hazards in holiday lets include:

  • Slippery surfaces (bathroom, pool area, decking)
  • Steps and uneven ground (especially in rural properties)
  • Hot tubs and swimming pools
  • Garden features (ponds, fire pits, play equipment)
  • Livestock access (farm properties)

Record keeping

Keep accurate records for tax, business rates, and safety purposes:

  • Booking calendar: Availability vs actual lettings
  • Income: All payments (including deposits, cleaning)
  • Expenses: Repairs, utilities, mortgage interest, insurance
  • Safety records: Gas certificates, electrical reports, fire risk assessments, legionella assessments
  • Employee records: Right to work checks, contracts, payroll
  • Guest records: Names, dates, payments (for VOA confirmation)

Keep records for at least 6 years (5 years for tax returns after the 31 January deadline).

Be inspection-ready: keep a compliance pack

A fire officer, council licensing officer, or insurance assessor may ask to see evidence of your safety measures. Keep all your compliance documents in one place - either a physical folder at the property or a secure digital folder you can access quickly.

Fire risk assessment
Dated, signed, reviewed annually. Include photos of fire safety equipment.
Gas safety certificate (CP12)
Annual certificate from Gas Safe registered engineer. Must be current.
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
Valid for 5 years. Shows fixed wiring is safe.
PAT testing records
Portable appliance tests for guest-accessible electrical items.
Legionella risk assessment
Dated assessment covering water system. Note any actions taken.
Insurance certificates
Public liability, buildings, contents - showing current cover and amounts.
Licence documentation (Scotland)
Licence certificate, application confirmation, renewal dates.
Booking records
For VOA business rates confirmation - guest names, dates, payments.
WARNING

Why this matters

If you cannot produce evidence when asked, you may face:

  • Fire safety: Enforcement notice, prohibition notice, or prosecution
  • Scotland licensing: Licence refusal or revocation
  • Insurance: Claim rejection if documentation is incomplete
  • Business rates: Reclassification to council tax if you can't prove lettings

Having everything organised also makes renewals and inspections much less stressful.

Digital compliance pack

Consider keeping digital copies (scans or photos) in cloud storage. This means:

  • You can share documents quickly with assessors or insurers
  • You have backup if originals are lost
  • You can access them remotely when managing the property

Organise by document type with clear file names including dates (e.g., "Gas-Safety-Certificate-2025-06-15.pdf").

Common mistakes to avoid

  • No fire risk assessment: Sleeping accommodation requires documented fire safety measures
  • Missing gas safety checks: Annual checks are legally required - keep the certificate available for guests
  • Wrong insurance: Standard home insurance doesn't cover holiday letting
  • Missing VOA annual confirmation: Failure to confirm can reclassify you to Council Tax