Compliance: the checks that keep your guests safe
A family asleep upstairs while a boiler leaks carbon monoxide. A kitchen fire, and an alarm that never sounds. These are the nights every safety check exists to prevent. Here's what your short let needs, how often, and where the rules come from.
Correct as of 2 October 2026. Not legal or financial advice. Consult your own legal or financial adviser before making any decisions.
Your compliance checklist at a glance
Most of these apply to every short let. A few depend on your home, such as gas, a lift, or where it is.
| Check | Who it applies to | How often | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas safety check | Homes with gas appliances | Every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer | Legal requirement |
| Fire risk assessment | Every short let | Written, and kept up to date | Legal requirement |
| Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms | Every short let | Fitted as your fire risk assessment requires, and tested regularly | Legal requirement |
| Electrical safety (EICR) | Every short let | Every 5 years, matching the rule for rented homes | Strongly recommended |
| Legionella risk assessment | Every let home | Reviewed regularly, and after long empty periods | Legal duty |
| Lift thorough examination (LOLER) | Buildings with a lift used at work | Every 6 months for lifts that carry people | Legal requirement |
| Furniture fire labels | Furnished homes | Check when buying or replacing | Legal requirement |
| Local rules and licensing | Depends on the area | Check before you list, and keep checking | Varies by area |
The checks explained
Gas safety
The HSE states that gas appliances in a let property need a safety check every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and that the landlord must keep records for at least two years. The HSE adds that holiday lets can display the record in the home for guests.
You can have the check done up to two months early without losing your renewal date, according to the HSE.
Fire safety
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service states that fire safety law applies if anyone pays to stay in your property, other than to live there permanently. Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service states that the person responsible for the property must carry out a fire risk assessment and act on the results, covering alarms, gas and electrical appliances, and escape routes.
Fire services recommend the assessment is done by someone with proper fire safety knowledge.
Electrical safety (EICR)
The rule requiring an electrical inspection every five years applies to rented homes with tenants, not holiday lets. Fire safety law still covers your electrical appliances, so an EICR every five years is the simplest way to show your electrics are safe.
Legionella
There's a legal duty for landlords to assess and control the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria, which can cause Legionnaires' disease. You don't need a test certificate. You do need to assess the risk, such as stored water, and showers left unused between guests.
Lifts (LOLER)
Lifts used at work need a thorough examination by a competent person. Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations, lifts that carry people need one every six months. In a block of flats, the freeholder or managing agent usually arranges this, so ask them for the latest report.
Furniture
Fire services expect furniture in holiday lets to comply with the furniture fire safety regulations. Check sofas, mattresses and upholstered chairs carry the fire safety label, especially older pieces.
Local rules and licensing
- England: a national register of short lets is expected to be introduced in 2026, with a greater focus on safety standards. Councils may also gain powers to require planning permission for short lets, according to Cornwall Council.
- London: whole homes can be let on short stays for up to 90 nights a year without planning permission. Read London's 90-night rule explained.
- Scotland: every short let needs a licence from the council. Read the Edinburgh short-term let licence.
- Business rates and waste: in England, a holiday let pays business rates instead of council tax if it's available for 140 days or more and actually let for 70 days or more. Holiday lets also need a commercial waste arrangement, whichever they pay.
Every area we cover has its own rules guide. Find yours on our city guides.
Keeping on top of it
- Keep every certificate and assessment in one place, with its renewal date.
- Book renewals early. Gas checks can be done up to two months before the due date.
- Share copies with your local manager, so we know your home is safe to welcome guests.
- Review your fire and legionella assessments after any changes to the home, such as new furniture, building work or a long empty period.
See our property standards and how onboarding works.
Common questions
Do holiday lets need a gas safety certificate?
According to the HSE, yes. Gas appliances in a let property need an annual safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and the landlord has to keep the record.
Do short lets need a fire risk assessment?
According to the fire services' guidance, yes. Fire safety law applies whenever someone pays to stay, and the person responsible for the property has to carry out a fire risk assessment and act on the results.
Is an EICR a legal requirement for a holiday let?
The five-yearly EICR rule applies to rented homes with tenants, not holiday lets. Fire safety law still covers your electrics, so we strongly recommend one every five years.
Do I need a legionella test certificate?
No certificate is required, but you do have a legal duty to assess and control the risk from legionella in your water system.
Do I need a licence to run a short let?
It depends where your home is. Scotland requires a licence, London limits whole-home short lets to 90 nights a year, and England is expected to introduce a national register.
Sources
- HSE: Gas safety check records and what to keep
- HSE: Gas safety, landlords and letting agents
- Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service: Fire safety for self-catering holiday lets
- Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service: Short term lets
- Humberside Fire and Rescue Service: New national registration scheme for holiday lets
- legislation.gov.uk: Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020
- City of York Council: Legionella and landlords' responsibilities
- legislation.gov.uk: Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, regulation 9
- Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service: Fire safety guidance for self-catering holiday lets
- Cornwall Council: Short term lets
- Bath and North East Somerset Council: Holiday lets and business rates