Fire Safety Requirements for Devon Holiday Lets
New Home Office guidance for small paying guest accommodation is now in effect in England. As the Responsible Person you are legally required to provide a safe environment and a documented escape plan based on a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment.
The summary below is written in plain language for typical Devon holiday lets. It does not replace the official guidance, a formal Fire Risk Assessment or specific advice from your fire and rescue service.
1. The Written Fire Risk Assessment
Since October 2023 it has been a legal requirement for all holiday lets that fall under the paying guest accommodation guidance to have a written Fire Risk Assessment. This should be kept available at the property, often in the welcome folder, and reviewed regularly or when anything significant changes.
- Identify ignition sources such as log burners, cooking, heaters and electrical items.
- Consider who may be at risk, including children and guests with limited mobility or hearing.
- Record the measures you have taken and your evacuation strategy, in simple language.
2. Interlinked Detection and Alarms
Many operating holiday lets in Devon already have hard wired or interlinked alarms in place. The current guidance expects an appropriate level of coverage and interlinking, usually with either mains powered alarms with battery backup or sealed long life battery units that are tamper resistant. The exact setup should follow your Fire Risk Assessment and any advice from your fire and rescue service.
Coverage
Smoke alarms are typically expected in bedrooms, living rooms and escape routes such as hallways and landings. Carbon monoxide alarms should be present where there are fuel burning appliances.
Interlinking and testing
Alarms should be interlinked, either by cable or radio, so that when one unit sounds all relevant alarms sound. They should be tested regularly and replaced when they reach the end of their service life rather than being left indefinitely.
3. Means of Escape and Fire Doors
Escape routes must allow guests to get out quickly without having to pass very close to a fire. In many Devon cottages and townhouses this relies on a protected stair and hallway route. The details matter here and your fire risk assessment should set out what is suitable for your building.
- Fire resisting doors: Doors that form part of the protected escape route often need to be fire resisting, for example FD30 doors that are part of a tested system. The performance depends on the whole assembly, including the frame, hinges, closers and intumescent and smoke seals, not just the thickness of the leaf.
- Competent installation: Fire doors should be installed and adjusted by someone competent in fire door work. Not every carpenter or joiner is trained or experienced in this, so ask for evidence of competence where your escape route relies on fire doors.
- Locks and exits: Final exit doors should normally be openable from the inside without a key, for example with a thumb turn lock, so guests can leave quickly in an emergency.
- Clear routes: Hallways, landings and stairs on the escape route should be kept clear of storage, laundry, bikes or furniture that could slow people down or catch fire.
4. Emergency Lighting and Finding The Way Out
Guests need to be able to see how to escape, even if normal lighting fails because a circuit has been affected by fire. What is reasonable depends on the layout and risk.
In some small, simple properties borrowed light from street lighting, combined with well placed plug in rechargeable torches, may be acceptable as part of a documented plan. Larger, taller or more complex layouts are more likely to need dedicated emergency lighting on escape routes in line with the findings of the Fire Risk Assessment.
Owner Warning
Candles and tea lights remain a common cause of domestic fires. Current guidance strongly suggests avoiding them in holiday lets and making this clear in your house rules and guest information.
5. Log burners, wood burners and solid fuel appliances
Log burners and multi-fuel stoves are one of the most common selling points for Devon holiday lets, particularly on Dartmoor and in rural areas. They are also one of the most significant fire risk factors in the property and must be addressed specifically in your Fire Risk Assessment rather than treated as a generic item.
Carbon monoxide is the immediate danger. A blocked or poorly maintained flue can produce lethal concentrations within minutes. A CO alarm is legally required within one metre of a solid fuel appliance and should be a sealed, long-life unit rather than a cheap plug-in. It must be tested at each changeover.
- Annual sweep of the chimney or flue by a HETAS-registered or competent sweep, with a certificate kept on file.
- CO alarm within one metre of the appliance, tested at every changeover and with a replacement date recorded.
- Correct hearth dimensions and clearances to combustibles as specified for the appliance.
- Non-combustible hearth extension if guests will use the stove with the door open or use the fireside for seating.
- Clear, simple instructions for guests on safe use: loading, damper operation and what not to burn.
- Fire guard available if the property accommodates young children.
- Ash storage: a metal container with a lid stored outside, not indoors or in a wooden structure.
- Regular inspection of door seals, glass and rope gaskets, replaced when worn rather than left.
Guest instruction note
Guests frequently over-fire stoves by loading too much fuel or closing the air supply incorrectly. Clear, laminated instructions fixed near the stove reduce misuse and the associated fire and CO risk. This instruction sheet should be referenced in your Fire Risk Assessment as a control measure.
6. Pre-season fire safety check
A quick walk-through before the season starts catches issues that have developed over winter or been missed since the last check. This does not replace your annual Fire Risk Assessment review but it is the practical check that finds the things that have changed.
- Test every smoke alarm and confirm the indicator is working correctly.
- Test every CO alarm and check the expiry date on the unit.
- Walk all escape routes and confirm they are clear and all doors are opening freely.
- Check fire door self-closers are engaging correctly and doors are latching shut.
- Check that intumescent seals and smoke seals on fire doors are intact and undamaged.
- Confirm final exit doors are openable from the inside without a key.
- Check that any fire extinguisher or fire blanket is in the correct location and in date.
- Check log burner door seals and rope gaskets before the first guest of the season.
- Confirm guest information includes current fire exit routes and assembly point.
- Review your Fire Risk Assessment and update it if anything has changed at the property.
How Acacia Property Care Supports Holiday Let Owners
Fire safety guidance has moved from being seen as best practice to being clearly enforceable, with a written assessment now expected as standard. For many owners the hardest part is joining everything up and turning paperwork into a clear plan of action.
I provide practical on site reviews that look at how your fire precautions, documentation and day to day use fit together, then help you plan upgrades in a sensible, phased way that matches your budget and the level of risk.
Free Owner's Fire Safety Checklist
This simple 5 step checklist helps you walk your property with a structured eye, record what you find and start a basic action plan in line with the current Home Office guidance for small paying guest accommodation.
If you would like someone independent to look at fire safety alongside CP12, EICR and general guest safety, my Holiday Let Compliance Audit service brings everything together into one clear, photo based report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I legally need a written fire risk assessment for my Devon holiday let?
Yes. Since October 2023 the Home Office guidance for small paying guest accommodation in England requires a written Fire Risk Assessment. This must be specific to your property, kept available on site (usually in the welcome folder), and reviewed whenever anything significant changes.
How often does a fire risk assessment need to be reviewed?
At minimum, your FRA should be reviewed annually and any time there is a significant change to the property, such as new gas appliances, structural alterations, or changes in the type of guest or occupancy level. Many owners do a quick review before each new letting season.
What type of fire alarms are required in a holiday let?
Interlinked alarms are expected, either mains-powered with battery backup, or sealed long-life battery units. Coverage should include escape routes (hallways, landings), bedrooms and living areas, and a heat detector in the kitchen. All alarms should be tested regularly with a log kept.
Do I need a fire extinguisher in my Devon holiday let?
A fire blanket mounted in the kitchen is standard practice. A small dry powder or CO2 extinguisher is optional and should only be provided if guests can safely operate it without delaying escape. Extinguishers are never a substitute for a clear, unobstructed exit route.
What counts as a fire door in a holiday let?
A fire door is a complete tested assembly: leaf, frame, intumescent seals, smoke seals, hinges and a self-closing device. The FD30 rating (30-minute fire resistance) is common on escape routes in small holiday lets. The performance depends on the whole assembly being correctly installed and maintained, not just the door leaf.
Not sure if your holiday let is actually covered?
If you're unsure what's current (CP12, EICR, alarms, basic fire info), start with a quick compliance check. You'll get a clear status summary and the next actions in priority order.
Download the Free Compliance ChecklistLocal Dartmoor & Devon properties only. No hard sell, just a clear view of where you stand.