Smoking is one of the deadliest causes of fire in the home, which makes your decision about it more important than it might seem. For East Sussex owners, a clear smoking policy holiday let guests can understand protects your property, your business and, above all, the people staying with you.
Why a smoking policy holiday let matters so much
The Home Office guidance states that smoking is a common cause of fire in domestic premises and results in more fatalities than any other cause. The Airbnb and NFCC guidance echoes this, noting that fires caused by smoking materials result in more deaths than any other type of fire. That alone is reason to take your policy seriously rather than leaving it unsaid.
Have a defined policy
The guidance says there should be a defined policy on smoking, and that it should also address vaping materials and e-cigarettes, which carry their own battery and charging risks. Guests need to know clearly where they stand, so put it in writing in your guest information pack and your house rules, not buried in small print.
The safest option
For self-catering accommodation and self-contained flats, the guidance is direct: the best and safest option is to encourage people not to smoke, and ideally for those who do to smoke outside the premises. Many owners simply make their property non-smoking throughout, which is the cleanest and most common approach, and increasingly what guests expect.
If you allow it
Should you permit smoking, the guidance says suitable provisions such as safety ashtrays and bins should be provided for the safe disposal of cigarettes and other smokers’ materials. The Airbnb and NFCC guidance makes the same point and reminds owners to ask guests to fully and safely extinguish all smoking materials. Careless disposal, a cigarette dropped into a normal bin or left smouldering, is exactly how these fires start.
Signs and shared spaces
If your accommodation is the kind where smoking in communal areas is prohibited by law, you must make guests aware, and if you do not want smoking in bedrooms, signs must be displayed clearly. Ambiguity helps no one.
Tie it to your assessment
Smoking should feature in your fire risk assessment as an ignition source, alongside candles and cooking. East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service can advise, and a competent assessor will help you weigh the risk for your property.
Setting and enforcing a clear policy
Smoking materials cause a disproportionate share of fire deaths, which both the Airbnb and Home Office guidance note, so a clear policy matters. Most holiday let owners go smoke-free indoors, which is simpler to enforce and more appealing to the majority of guests. If you allow smoking outside, provide proper metal ashtrays and a water bucket for disposal, and make clear that cigarettes must be fully extinguished. Spell the policy out in your guest information and in your listing so there are no surprises. Pair it with working smoke alarms throughout. Discarded smoking materials in bins or plant pots are a particular hazard on changeover day, when rubbish piles up, so check outdoor areas as part of your routine. East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service highlights smouldering cigarettes as a leading cause of fatal fires.
A no-smoking notice by the entrance reinforces the rule without you having to police it, and removes any argument later about what was agreed at the time of booking.
Get the right advice for your property
Deciding on a smoking policy for your property? For advice tailored to your property from a competent professional, speak to Jamie at ESI: Fire Safety on 01276 300 351.
