What the rules say
The Fire Safety Order requires appropriate fire detection. For small holiday lets, the GOV.UK guide recommends mains-powered alarms with a sealed battery backup, all linked together, so one going off sets them all off.
The smoke and CO alarm rules for ordinary rented homes do not strictly cover holiday lets, but GOV.UK still points hosts to them and following them is the safe choice.
What to do
- Smoke alarms in hallways, landings, living rooms and bedrooms.
- Heat alarms (not smoke alarms) in kitchens and utility rooms.
- A CO alarm in every room with a boiler, stove, fire or other fuel-burning appliance.
- Test them at each changeover and record the annual check here.
Elsewhere in the UK
Scotland: Scotland's tolerable standard applies and is a licence condition: interlinked smoke alarms in the living room and every hall or landing, a heat alarm in the kitchen, and a CO alarm by every carbon-fuelled appliance or flue.
Wales: Alarms are required where your fire risk assessment says so, as in England.
Northern Ireland: Alarms are required where your fire risk assessment says so. Tourism NI will also check them at inspection.
Tips from the field
- Radio-interlinked mains alarms avoid rewiring in older cottages.
- Put the replacement date on each alarm with a marker pen.
- Tell guests in the welcome folder what the alarms sound like.
Official sources
- GOV.UK: making your small paying guest accommodation safe from fire
- GOV.UK: letting out a self-catering holiday home in England
Costs are typical 2025/26 prices, not official figures. This is general information, not legal advice. Last checked 26 Sept 2026.