If you let a property through Airbnb, Booking.com, or any short-term let platform in the UK, fire safety is your legal responsibility. The platforms set their own hosting standards, but the law that applies is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This guide explains what each platform expects, what the law actually requires, and what Cumbrian holiday let owners should have in place before the summer rush.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to any property where paying guests stay — Airbnb lets, Booking.com listings, and cottages advertised through local agencies across the Lake District and Cumbria. The "responsible person" is the property owner or whoever controls the premises. You must carry out a fire risk assessment, keep it up to date, and act on its findings. There is no exemption for small properties or those only let for part of the year.
Airbnb requires a working smoke alarm on each floor and, since December 2023, a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fuel-burning appliance. Hosts who cannot confirm these are flagged, and listings can be suspended. Airbnb does not carry out inspections — the responsibility sits entirely with the host.
Booking.com requires hosts to confirm compliance with local safety regulations during onboarding. Sykes Holiday Cottages goes further, typically requiring evidence of a fire risk assessment, annual gas safety checks, and photos of smoke alarm placement before a property goes live. The pattern is consistent: platforms ask you to confirm compliance but do not check it. The gap between what you tick on a form and what actually exists in your property is where problems start.
Your insurer and your booking platform ask for similar things independently. When a claim is made and the insurer requests a fire risk assessment or servicing records that do not exist, the claim is disputed. According to gov.uk fire statistics, accommodation-sector fires with poor documentation are a leading cause of invalid claims on let properties.
Yes. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to any property where paying guests stay, including Airbnb and other short-term lets. You need a documented fire risk assessment carried out by a competent person, and you must act on its findings.
At minimum, you need working smoke alarms on every floor, a carbon monoxide alarm where fuel-burning appliances are present, and a fire extinguisher or fire blanket in the kitchen area. Your fire risk assessment may recommend additional equipment depending on the property layout and occupancy.
Fire extinguishers should be serviced annually to BS 5306-3. This applies whether the property is let year-round or only during the summer season. The service must be carried out by a competent engineer, and records should be kept for your insurer.
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