In short: every short-term let in Scotland needs a licence, and fire safety is one of the mandatory conditions attached to every licence. Under fire safety law, the person in charge of the accommodation must carry out a fire risk assessment to identify the risks and the measures needed, put those measures in place and keep the assessment under review.
Which lets are covered
The licensing scheme applies to all short-term lets in Scotland. The Scottish Government's guidance for hosts covers four types of licence, and fire safety applies to each of them:
Secondary letting
A whole property that is not your main home, such as a holiday cottage or city flat let to guests.
Home letting
Letting your own home while you are away.
Home sharing
Letting rooms in the home you live in, including B&Bs run from the owner's home.
Home letting and sharing
A combination of the two, for hosts who do both at different times.
The fire safety licence condition
The mandatory conditions apply in every council area and cover day-to-day management, licence type, and fire, gas and electrical safety. On fire safety, the Scottish Government's guidance for hosts says you must take appropriate action to assess the risk from fire, identify the fire safety measures needed as a result, implement them, keep the assessment under review and maintain good records.
In practice, a licensed host needs to show:
| Requirement | What it means for your let |
|---|---|
| Fire risk assessment | A specific assessment of the property, its layout and the guests it accommodates, with the measures needed and a review date. |
| Fire detection | Satisfactory equipment for detecting and warning of fire: at minimum, interlinked smoke and heat alarms meeting the Tolerable Standard, and often more depending on size and layout. |
| Furniture and furnishings | Upholstered furniture that meets the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. |
| Information for guests | Fire safety information and details of how to summon the emergency services, displayed somewhere guests can see it. |
| Records | The assessment, alarm testing and any servicing records kept up to date and available. |
Why holiday lets need particular care
The Scottish Government's guidance for premises with sleeping accommodation singles out self-catering properties as premises where short-term occupiers stay with no day-to-day management or supervision. Guests do not know the building, may arrive late at night, and will not have tested the escape route. The assessment focuses on making sure the property is safe without you there:
Keyless escape
Final exit doors that open from inside without a key, with the key safe or lock arrangement checked.
Alarms guests will hear
Detection that wakes people in every bedroom, including in lofts and annexes.
Guest-facing hazards
Wood burners, candles, barbecues, hot tubs with electrics, and portable heaters.
Clear instructions
A simple fire action notice and house information that guests will actually read.
Annex 2 of the Scottish Government's sleeping accommodation guidance gives simpler benchmarks for well-managed small premises: self-catering properties for up to 10 people and B&Bs in the home of a resident operator for up to 8 guests. Larger lets, multi-unit buildings and guest houses need the full approach.
Edinburgh and other control areas
Planning control is separate from licensing. In a short-term let control area, using a property that is not your main home for short-term letting needs planning permission. The whole of the City of Edinburgh Council area has been a control area since 5 September 2022. A fire risk assessment does not replace planning permission, but councils will expect both to be in order.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a fire risk assessment for my short-term let licence?
Yes. Fire safety is a mandatory condition of every short-term let licence in Scotland, and under fire safety law the person in charge of the accommodation must carry out a fire risk assessment, act on it and keep it under review. Your council may ask you to confirm this on the application form and to produce the assessment if the property is inspected.
How much does a short-term let fire risk assessment cost?
From £225 + VAT for a typical holiday let or small B&B. Larger guest houses, properties with several units and remote or island properties are quoted individually.
I let a room in my own home. Do I still need one?
Yes. Home sharing is one of the four types of short-term let licence and the fire safety condition applies to it. The assessment for a room in a lived-in home is usually simpler and quicker than for a whole-property let.
Are battery interlinked alarms acceptable in a holiday let?
The Tolerable Standard allows sealed long-life battery or mains-wired interlinked alarms. Whether that is enough for your let depends on its size, layout and number of guests, which is exactly what the fire risk assessment decides.
How often should a short-term let fire risk assessment be reviewed?
Regularly, and whenever something significant changes, such as adding a bedroom, installing a wood burner or changing the layout. We recommend reviewing it at least once a year and before each licence renewal.
Sources
- Short-term lets licensing scheme, Part 1: guidance for hosts and operators, Scottish Government
- Legal requirements for a short-term let licence, mygov.scot
- Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order, Schedule 3: mandatory conditions, legislation.gov.uk
- Practical fire safety guidance for existing premises with sleeping accommodation, Scottish Government
- Short-term let control area, City of Edinburgh Council
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.