New fire safety rules for small paying guest accommodation in England
On 1 October 2023, new fire safety rules will come into force across England for small paying guest accommodation. This includes specific guidance on carrying out a suitable fire safety risk assessment of your space.
To help you comply with the new rules, the Government has published a guide for small paying guest accommodation. The guide covers a range of topics, including:
- How to identify fire hazards in your property
- What fire safety measures you need to put in place
- How to carry out a fire risk assessment
- How to maintain your fire safety measures
You can download the guide from the GOV.UK website.
For more information on how to make your small paying guest accommodation even safer, you can visit the UK Trust and Safety Hub.
What is small paying guest accommodation?
Small paying guest accommodation is defined as:
- A single premises of ground floor, or ground floor and first floor, providing sleeping accommodation for a maximum of 10 persons, with no more than four bedrooms on the first floor (and not having an open plan kitchen).
- Individual flats (whether within a purpose-built block of flats or a house that has been converted into flats), other than unusually large flats.
What are the new fire safety rules?
The new fire safety rules require all small paying guest accommodation to have a fire risk assessment carried out by a competent person. The fire risk assessment should identify all fire hazards in the property and assess the risks they pose. The assessment should also recommend fire safety measures to reduce the risks.
The new rules also require small paying guest accommodation to have a number of fire safety measures in place, including:
- Smoke alarms in all bedrooms and living rooms
- Fire doors on all escape routes
- Fire extinguishers in suitable locations
- Emergency lighting on all escape routes
What should I do to comply with the new rules?
If you own or manage small paying guest accommodation in England, you should:
- Read the Government’s guide for small paying guest accommodation
- Have a fire risk assessment carried out by a competent person
- Implement the fire safety measures recommended in the fire risk assessment
You should also regularly review your fire safety arrangements to make sure they are still effective.
More information
For more information on the new fire safety rules, please visit the GOV.UK website or contact your local fire and rescue service.
