In short: premises with sleeping accommodation are relevant premises under Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, and they carry a higher risk because people are slower to notice and react to a fire when asleep. The Scottish Government publishes specific guidance for existing premises with sleeping accommodation and for care homes, and our assessments follow it.
Why sleeping risk changes the assessment
The Scottish Government's guidance notes that people's sensory perception changes while they sleep, so they are more vulnerable to fire and the risk is greater at night. It also distinguishes between three groups of occupants, which affects how we assess the premises:
Short-term guests
Largely unfamiliar with the building, in premises with some day-to-day management, such as hotels, hostels and B&Bs.
Longer-term residents
Familiar with their own part of the building, in premises with or without on-site management, such as some hostels and HMOs.
Unsupervised short stays
Short-term occupiers with no on-site management at all, such as self-catering holiday accommodation.
Hotels, guest houses and hostels
The Scottish Government's Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing Premises with Sleeping Accommodation applies to hotels and tourism hostels, holiday lets and complexes, bunkhouses, guest houses and B&Bs, sleeping accommodation for students and employees, and all types of HMO. Our assessments for these premises look closely at:
| Area | What we check |
|---|---|
| Detection and warning | Coverage in bedrooms, corridors and roof spaces, the alarm category for the building, and sounders loud enough to wake guests. |
| Compartmentation | Fire-resisting construction between bedrooms and corridors, stairs and risk rooms, and fire stopping where services pass through. |
| Bedroom and corridor doors | Self-closing fire doors, smoke seals, and hold-open devices released by the alarm. |
| Night-time staffing | How many staff are on duty overnight, what they are trained to do, and how they account for guests. |
| Kitchens and laundries | Commercial cooking, extract ducting, tumble dryers and linen storage. |
| Guest information | Fire action notices in bedrooms, and arrangements for guests who need help to evacuate. |
Care homes
Care homes have their own Scottish Government guide, Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing Care Homes, and small care homes originally built as houses are covered by the guidance for specialised housing. Premises providing a care home service are relevant premises under Part 3 of the Act even where the building looks domestic.
Many residents cannot escape without help, so the evacuation strategy is usually progressive horizontal evacuation: moving residents away from the fire into a protected area on the same floor rather than out of the building. The assessment checks that the building, the staffing and the procedures support that strategy, including:
Protected areas
Compartments large enough to receive residents from the area next door, with fire doors and construction to match.
Night staffing
Whether the number of staff on duty at night can carry out the evacuation in the time available.
Person-centred plans
Individual assessments of each resident's ability to respond and what help they need.
Drills and training
Regular training and drills that reflect how evacuation would really happen at night.
Because care homes are registered under an enactment, the significant findings of the fire risk assessment must be recorded, along with the fire safety arrangements. The Care Inspectorate also looks at fire safety during inspections.
Student and staff accommodation
Purpose-built student accommodation, university halls and staff accommodation on hotel and estate sites are covered by the sleeping accommodation guidance. Common issues include fire doors propped open in shared kitchens, cooking in bedrooms, and false alarms from cooking fumes and steam. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service still sends an emergency response to automatic alarms in student accommodation, so reducing unwanted alarms matters to everyone.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a hotel fire risk assessment be reviewed?
Regularly, and whenever there is a significant change, such as refurbishment, a change in layout or bedroom numbers, or a change in night staffing. Because of the sleeping risk, most hotels and guest houses review at least annually.
Do you carry out care home fire risk assessments?
Yes. We assess care homes against the Scottish Government's Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing Care Homes, with particular attention to compartmentation, night staffing and the evacuation strategy. Care homes are quoted individually after we know the size and layout of the building.
Will the fire service attend if our alarm goes off at night?
Yes. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's July 2023 change to automatic alarm response does not apply to premises with sleeping accommodation such as hotels, care homes, hospitals and student accommodation. Those premises continue to receive an emergency response.
What is a person-centred fire risk assessment?
An assessment focused on an individual: their ability to notice and respond to a fire, their mobility, any behaviours that increase risk such as smoking, and what help they need to get to safety. BS 9792:2025 includes guidance on person-centred assessments, and they are essential in care settings.
Sources
- Practical fire safety guidance for existing premises with sleeping accommodation, Scottish Government
- Practical fire safety guidance for existing specialised housing and similar premises, Scottish Government
- Unwanted fire alarm signals (UFAS), Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
- Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, legislation.gov.uk
Written and reviewed by Raj Chall BSc, lead fire risk assessor at Fire Risk Scotland, listed on the Institution of Fire Engineers fire risk assessor register. Last reviewed 12 November 2026. This page is general guidance, not legal advice.