Anyone running a self-catering let in Berkshire or beyond eventually runs into the phrase. The fire safety order holiday lets framework comes from the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and it is the single most important piece of fire safety law you need to understand as an owner. It applies the moment you charge someone to stay somewhere that is not their permanent home, even for a single night.
What the fire safety order holiday lets rules ask of you
The Order places a general duty of fire safety care on you. In practice the Home Office guidance breaks this into a clear set of obligations. You must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and record your findings. You must put adequate fire safety measures in place, such as escape routes and alarms, and take steps to stop fires starting. You must maintain those measures in good working order, and keep both the risks and the measures under regular review.
On top of that you need fire procedures so that guests know what to do, you must give staff or anyone helping you suitable instruction, and you must hand over your assessment and safety information if you ever pass the property on to a new owner.
It is risk-based, not a fixed checklist
One thing the guidance stresses is that the Order does not prescribe exactly which measures you must fit. What matters is that you identify and manage the overall risk and provide fire safety measures that are appropriate for that risk. A 300-year-old cottage sleeping ten needs more than a single modern studio flat. That is why the fire risk assessment sits at the heart of everything, and why a generic template rarely does the job.
Who enforces the Order
Your local fire and rescue service is normally the enforcing body. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and other brigades can inspect holiday accommodation and take action where owners fall short. They cannot carry out your assessment for you, but many offer free business safety advice and webinars. You can also check your duties on the government’s responsibilities page.
The measures the Order tends to require
While the Order is risk-based, certain measures appear in almost every assessment: interlinked smoke and heat alarms, clear and well-lit escape routes, exit doors that open without a key, fire-resisting doors where needed, safe electrics and heating, and clear guest information. The assessment decides which apply to your property and to what standard.
Where owners trip up
The most common failing is treating the Order as a one-off task. It is an ongoing duty. Measures have to be maintained, alarms tested, and the assessment reviewed at least annually. Since 2023 the assessment must also be written down in full, which caught a lot of smaller operators out under the Building Safety Act changes. If your property has anything beyond a simple layout, a competent fire risk assessor will interpret the Order against your specific building far more reliably than a downloaded form.
Keeping records the Order expects
The Order does not only ask you to assess risk once. You are expected to keep written evidence that your fire safety measures are maintained, so a simple log of alarm tests, servicing dates and any remedial work is worth keeping alongside your assessment. The Home Office guidance suggests recording when you test alarms and check escape routes, because that record is often the first thing a fire officer asks to see. Tie this in with your changeover checks so it becomes routine rather than a separate chore.
Get the right advice for your property
Want to be sure your property meets the Order in full? For advice tailored to your property from a competent professional, speak to Jamie at ESI: Fire Safety on 01276 300 351.
