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FRASafe

Holiday-let fire risk assessment

Holiday let fire safety in Scotland

Scotland has its own fire safety law and its own short-term let licensing. If you let a property that is not your own home, the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 legally requires you to assess the fire risks, and failing to meet your fire safety duties can be a criminal offence. Your council licence adds conditions on alarms, furniture and guest safety information, and your licence application asks you to confirm a fire risk assessment is in place. FRASafe walks you through the assessment in plain English, then gives you a written PDF record with an action plan.

Assessors typically charge £150–£400. Do it with FRASafe, guided step by step, for £45.

Escape routes, alarms and furnishingsPrioritised action planPDF record the same day
Get your report The law in Scotland

£45 one-off · PDF report · no subscription

ScotlandEnforced by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Fire safety lawFire (Scotland) Act 2005
Typical assessor cost£150–£400
With FRASafe£45
TurnaroundSame day

Scottish hosts: you are legally required to have a short-term let licence from your council, and its conditions include working fire and carbon monoxide alarms. See the rules →

Your report includesFire risk assessment recordPrioritised action planGuest fire safety information

The law in Scotland

Two sets of rules: fire safety law and your licence

In Scotland, fire safety for short-term lets comes from Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. On top of that, every short-term let needs a licence from the council, with its own fire-related conditions. They are separate. A fire risk assessment is a duty under the Act, not a licence condition. One catch: premises occupied as a private dwelling are outside the Act's fire safety duties, so if you rent out a room in the home you live in, the legal duty to assess may not apply to you. Your licence application will still ask you to confirm a fire risk assessment is in place, though.

Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006

  • Short-term let premises used for sleeping accommodation are covered by the fire safety duties in Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, including making sure an adequate fire risk assessment is in place.

    Source: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service: Short term lets · Last checked 22 October 2026

  • Section 54 of the Act sets out the duty to carry out an assessment of the fire risks in the premises.

    Source: Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, section 54 · Last checked 22 October 2026

  • Section 78 excludes domestic premises, meaning premises occupied as a private dwelling, from these duties. So most short-term lets that are not the host's own home are covered.

    Source: Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, section 78 · Last checked 22 October 2026

  • The Act's duties work alongside the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

    Source: The Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 · Last checked 22 October 2026

Short-term let licensing is mandatory

Every short-term let in Scotland needs a licence from the local council. The mandatory licence conditions include three fire-related ones: proper fire and carbon monoxide detection, fire-safe furniture, and fire safety information for guests. A fire risk assessment is not one of the mandatory conditions, but your council can add its own conditions, so check those too. When you apply, you'll be asked to confirm a fire risk assessment is in place, and some councils ask for a copy.

Last checked 22 October 2026

What your FRASafe assessment covers

FRASafe walks you through the fire risk assessment step by step and records what you find. It covers escape routes, smoke and CO detection, fire-fighting equipment, furnishings, guest information and an action plan. It's designed for small premises: houses or cottages on up to two floors (ground and first) sleeping up to 10 people, and individual flats. Bigger or more complex places need a professional assessor, and we'll point you to one. Our questionnaire follows the structure used for fire risk assessments in England and Wales, so check its findings against your council's licence conditions.

Kitchen & appliance fire hazards
Escape routes for unfamiliar guests
Smoke & CO alarm coverage
Fire-fighting equipment & blankets
Guest fire-action notice
Action plan & review date
Furniture fire safety regulations for holiday let hosts →Holiday let fire risk assessments across the UK →

How it works

Three steps, wherever you are

You do not need to be a fire-safety expert. FRASafe turns the fire risk assessment into plain-English questions and builds the report for you.

1

Complete the assessment

Answer structured questions covering fire hazards, means of escape, smoke and CO detection, and guest safety. Includes fire action notices and emergency information for guests unfamiliar with the property.

2

Review findings & action plan

FRASafe generates a prioritised action plan for any deficiencies found. Review and sign your declarations before generating the report.

3

Download your PDF report

Pay £45 and download a finished PDF you can keep on file, share with platforms and insurers, and display on site.

Why FRASafe

Built for holiday let hosts in Scotland

Not a generic template. FRASafe deals with the risks of guests who do not know the property.

Guest Safety Module

Fire action notices in bedrooms, escape route diagrams, and key safe emergency instructions. All critical for guests unfamiliar with the property.

A clear record of your assessment

Your PDF sets out what you checked, what you found and what you need to fix, with dates. Keep it on file and review it when things change. It is your record, not a licence approval, so check your council's conditions as well.

Works offline

Install as a PWA and complete your assessment on-site without signal. Answers sync automatically when you reconnect.

Annual review reminders

FRASafe reminds you when your assessment is due for review, so it stays current.

Real reviews

What holiday let hosts say

★★★★★
“I manage three HMOs. An assessor quoted £350 each, over £1,000. I did all three with FRASafe in an afternoon for £135.”
Neil B. · HMO landlord · Nottingham
★★★★★
“I was required to undergo a fire risk assessment as part of my HMO application. I found the Frasafe online form easy to complete and upload information to produce a Fire Risk Assessment that was relevant to my property. The price point of £45 was affordable, making Frasafe the right choice for my needs as a busy Landlord.”
Karin Tong · Trustpilot review
★★★★★
“Super smooth process for getting my fire safety report for my AirBNB property. Will be using again.”
John Harrington · Trustpilot review
Read our reviews on Trustpilot →

Free tool

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Fire Risk Assessment

£150–£400 professional assessor

£45
  • Full holiday let questionnaire
  • Guest Safety Module included
  • Works offline on-site
  • Signed PDF fire risk assessment
  • Record of your fire risk assessment
  • Annual review reminder
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Common questions

Do I need a licence for my holiday let in Scotland?
Yes. Short-term let licensing is mandatory in Scotland. New hosts have needed a licence since 1 October 2022, and existing hosts had to apply before 1 October 2023. Operating without one is an offence, and you apply to your local council.
Is a fire risk assessment a condition of my short-term let licence?
Not as one of the mandatory conditions. The fire-related mandatory conditions cover fire and CO detection, fire-safe furniture and safety information for guests. The fire risk assessment is a separate duty under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, and your council can add its own conditions, so check what yours asks for. When you apply, you'll be asked to confirm a fire risk assessment is in place, and some councils ask for a copy.
What smoke and heat alarms does a Scottish holiday let need?
Your licence requires satisfactory equipment to detect and warn of fire and carbon monoxide. That means interlinked ceiling smoke alarms in the living room and every hall and landing, and a heat alarm in the kitchen. You also need a carbon monoxide alarm where there is a fixed combustion appliance, such as a gas boiler or wood burner.
Does the English fire safety law apply in Scotland?
No. England and Wales have their own fire safety law, and it does not extend to Scotland. In Scotland the rules come from Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, plus your short-term let licence conditions.
Does this apply if I rent out a room in my own home?
You still need a short-term let licence, and the licence conditions on alarms, furniture and guest information still apply. Premises occupied as a private dwelling are outside the Act's fire safety duties, so the legal duty to carry out a fire risk assessment may not apply to you. Your licence application will still ask you to confirm a fire risk assessment is in place, though, so do one.
Can I do the fire risk assessment myself?
For a small, simple property, FRASafe is built to help you do exactly that. It takes you through each step in plain English and gives you a written PDF assessment with an action plan for £45. It suits houses or cottages on up to two floors (ground and first) sleeping up to 10 people, and individual flats. If your place is bigger or more complex, you'll need a professional assessor, and we'll point you to one.
Do I need to read the official guidance myself?
Not to get started. FRASafe turns the fire risk assessment into plain-English questions about your property and gives you a written PDF record with an action plan for £45. Because our questionnaire follows the England and Wales structure, check the findings against your council's licence conditions.
How much does a holiday let fire risk assessment cost?
£45, one-off, with the action plan included and no subscription. You answer the questions yourself and get the finished PDF at the end. An on-site assessor typically charges £150–£400 for a single holiday let, so FRASafe saves you up to £355.

Get your fire risk assessment written down

Work through your escape routes, alarms, furnishings and guest information, and get a clear action plan and PDF record for £45. Then check it against your council's licence conditions.

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