Stay safe, stay legal -

With the Government introducing new fire safety legislation around short term property lets (compliance with fire safety law, article 50 of the Regulatory Reform (fire safety) order 2005) for those responsible for safety in small paying-guest-accommodation) such as Airbnb we’ve been busy upgrading fire alarm systems to meet the requirements of a LD1 level system.

The new legislation states that for a short term holiday let you now need smoke detectors in all bedrooms and circulation areas (hallways, lounges, kitchens, etc) and a heat detector in the kitchen.

These need to be mains and battery powered and communicate with each other, either wired or wirelessly, in the event of a fire.

Other requirements to meet BS5839 and BS7671 include cables running through walls to be in conduit and cables that pass over an escape route to be fixed with metal fastenings. Any and all holes drilled through walls need to be sealed with intumescent sealant.

For thatched buildings and properties where there is a fire risk, such as an inline extraction fan or a solar system, in the roof void it is recommended that a smoke alarm is fitted there as well.