A few tea lights look lovely in the welcome photos, but they are a surprisingly common cause of serious fires. On candles holiday let owners in Berkshire need a clear policy, and the official guidance is unusually firm about which way to go.
What the guidance says about candles
The Home Office guidance does not hedge. It says candles and tea lights are a common cause of fires and, sometimes, fatalities, and that you should not provide candles, tea lights or ethanol burners for use by guests, with a policy in place prohibiting their use. The Airbnb and NFCC guidance agrees, stating that experts recommend not providing candles and prohibiting their use by guests.
That is about as clear as fire safety guidance gets. The recommended position is simple: no candles.
Why candles are such a risk
A candle is an open flame left unattended in a room full of fuel: curtains, bedding, soft furnishings. Guests on holiday relax, have a drink, and forget them. A knocked-over tea light on a wooden surface or near a curtain can take hold in moments, and a guest who is asleep or out may not notice until it is too late. The All-Wales guidance lists candles among the ignition risks to assess, and even names prohibiting candles as a mitigation measure in open-plan layouts.
Setting your policy
Make your property candle-free and say so clearly. Put it in your house rules and your guest information pack, alongside your smoking policy. Do not leave decorative candles around as styling, because their very presence implies permission to light them.
Safer alternatives
If you want the cosy ambience candles create, flameless LED candles give the same warm glow with none of the risk, and guests generally appreciate the thought. They are an easy win for a property that wants atmosphere without an open flame, and they photograph just as well for your listing.
Record it in your assessment
Note your no-candles policy in your fire risk assessment as a control measure against ignition sources. It sits naturally alongside decisions on open fires and smoking.
Get advice if unsure
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service can advise, and a competent assessor will help you set proportionate rules for your property.
Why the guidance is so firm on candles
The advice on candles is unusually clear-cut. The Airbnb and NFCC guidance recommends that hosts do not provide candles and prohibit guests from using them, and the Home Office guidance goes further, advising against providing candles, tea lights or ethanol burners and recommending a policy against their use. An unattended candle, in an unfamiliar room, near soft furnishings, is a classic cause of avoidable fire. The simplest position is a no-candles policy stated plainly in your guest information, backed up by attractive battery-powered alternatives if you want the cosy effect. This pairs naturally with your smoking policy and your line on open fires, since all three deal with naked flames in the hands of guests. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service regularly highlights candles as a preventable cause of house fires.
Removing candles from the property altogether is the cleanest way to enforce the rule, since a policy that relies on guests resisting temptation is weaker than simply not providing the means. State the position in your assessment as well, so the decision is recorded and easy to point to.
Get the right advice for your property
Want help setting clear guest fire safety rules? For advice tailored to your property from a competent professional, speak to Jamie at ESI: Fire Safety on 01276 300 351.
