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What smoke, heat and CO alarms do I need in a UK holiday let?

A short reading of official fire and housing guidance for England, Scotland and Wales. Written by Hastech, a sole trader trading as Hastech, which is building Letsafely, a reminder and log tool.

This is not legal advice. It is not a fire risk assessment. It does not tell you what a particular property must have. Which alarms you fit sits with your own assessment and the official guidance that applies in that nation. If you are unsure, use the official guide, ask your local fire and rescue service for advice, or engage a competent fire risk assessor.

The short answer

The four nations are not one system. Use the official guide for the nation the property is in. Do not copy an England tenancy checklist and assume it is enough in Scotland or Wales.

England. There are two official tracks, and they are not worded the same.

Scotland. A short-term let licence is required. The mandatory conditions say the premises must have satisfactory equipment for detecting and warning of fire, and of carbon monoxide in a concentration that is hazardous to health. What “satisfactory” means for a house is set out in Scottish Government tolerable-standard guidance (interlinked smoke and heat alarms in named locations, and CO detectors in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance or a flue). Whether a particular short-term let is treated as a house under that standard, or as non-domestic residential property, can depend on the premises. A single official sentence saying that every short-term let is, or is not, a house was not found. Confirm with the licensing authority. Last checked: 11 November 2026, Europe/London.

Wales. Use the Welsh Government guest-accommodation fire guide, not the England-only Home Office HTML page. The Welsh guide uses almost the same alarm wording as the Home Office guide, quoted below. Last checked: 11 November 2026, Europe/London.

Northern Ireland. An official paying-guest or holiday-let alarm specification, equivalent to the Home Office or Welsh guides or the Scottish tolerable-standard locations, was not found. Last checked: 11 November 2026, Europe/London. This is not confirmed — check the official page for Northern Ireland.

England: the paying-guest fire guide

The Home Office guide Making your small paying guest accommodation safe from fire (last updated 20 January 2025; last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) applies only to England, and only to small, simple premises within its stated scope.

Under “Fire detection and alarm system”, it says that if, as will normally be the case, no commercial fire-alarm system is provided:

“interlinked domestic smoke alarms and heat alarms (of the type normally found in houses and flats) should be provided in all areas where a fire might start. Smoke alarms should be installed in hallways, corridors, staircases, lounges, dining rooms and bedrooms.”

“Heat alarms should be installed in every kitchen, and in any other rooms (such as laundry or utility rooms), in which false alarms might occur from smoke alarms, due to cooking fumes, steam, dust, etc. If roof voids contain any combustible materials or sources of ignition, detection should also be present there. It is not normally necessary to install smoke or heat alarms in bathrooms or toilets.”

“All smoke and heat alarms in the premises should be interlinked, so that, when any alarm device detects fire, all smoke and heat alarms give an audible alarm simultaneously. Interlinking may be by means of wiring or radio signalling.”

“All smoke and heat alarms should be mains powered with a tamper-proof standby power supply consisting of a battery. These are technically known as Grade D1 alarms. If a D1 system not in place at the time of the fire risk assessment, long-life, sealed battery alarms (known as Grade F1 alarms) may be acceptable as a short-term measure (e.g., for around 2-3 years) until a D1 system is installed.”

On carbon monoxide, under “Heating”, the same guide says:

“Carbon monoxide detectors should be provided where living accommodation contains a gas or solid fuel-burning appliance.”

In an example of a two-storey cottage with a log burner and an LPG cooker, the guide also says: “Carbon monoxide detection devices should be installed in the lounge and kitchen.” That is an example, not a substitute for the general sentence above.

Home Office, Making your small paying guest accommodation safe from fire

Testing of domestic smoke and heat alarms is also a “should”: they should be tested monthly, and in self-catering premises (staff or owners not present) the weekly and monthly tests should be carried out at each change of occupancy. Manufacturers also provide recommendations on other necessary maintenance. That is about testing, not about which alarms to fit.

If the premises is larger or more complex than the small-guide scope, GOV.UK tells hosts to follow the national sleeping-accommodation fire safety guidance instead.

England: the 2015 private-rented-sector alarm regulations — application unclear

The official booklet The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015: Q&A booklet for the private rented sector (updated 29 July 2022; last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) says that, from 1 October 2022, all relevant landlords must:

“1. Ensure at least one smoke alarm is equipped on each storey of their homes where there is a room used as living accommodation.”

“2. Ensure a carbon monoxide alarm is equipped in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers).”

On location, the booklet says the regulations do not stipulate where the alarms should be placed, then: “At least one smoke alarm should be installed on every storey which is used as living accommodation.” And: “A carbon monoxide alarm should be installed in every room which is used as living accommodation containing a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers).” Heat detectors “are not a replacement for smoke alarms.”

GOV.UK, The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015: Q&A booklet for the private rented sector

The booklet says the regulations apply to “all social and private rented tenancies, other than those explicitly excluded in the Schedule to the Regulations.” The listed exclusions include hotels and refuges, student halls, care homes and others. Holiday lets, short-term lets and licences to occupy are not mentioned in the booklet text fetched on 11 November 2026.

GOV.UK still tells holiday-home hosts in England that they must follow that booklet. This page does not resolve whether the 2015 Regulations themselves apply to a genuine short-term holiday let. That application remains unclear and was not found in the booklet. The paying-guest fire guide is the official document written for paying-guest accommodation, and its recommended alarm coverage is more detailed than “one smoke alarm per storey.”

Scotland: licence condition, then what “satisfactory” means

The mandatory licence conditions (current Schedule 3, last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) say:

“The holder of the licence must ensure the premises has satisfactory equipment installed for detecting, and for giving warning of— (a) fire or suspected fire, and (b) the presence of carbon monoxide in a concentration that is hazardous to health.”

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022, Schedule 3

mygov.scot (last updated 9 October 2025; last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) says: “The accommodation must have adequate heat, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms,” and points to fire-safety detection guidance on gov.scot. It also says the accommodation must meet the repairing and tolerable standards.

mygov.scot, Legal requirements for short-term let accommodation

Scottish Government tolerable-standard guidance (published 20 June 2023; last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) defines what is “satisfactory” for fire detection in a house as:

“one smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general daytime living purposes (normally the living room/lounge);”

“one smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey, such as hallways and landings;”

“one heat alarm installed in every kitchen;”

“all smoke and heat alarms to be ceiling mounted; and”

“all smoke and heat alarms to be interlinked.”

Mains-operated alarms with battery backup are permitted, and so are tamper-proof long-life lithium battery alarms. The guidance says this standard applies to all houses, and that for non-domestic residential property you should use separate fire-safety guidance.

Scottish Government, Satisfactory fire and carbon monoxide detection: tolerable standard guidance

On carbon monoxide, Chapter 17 of the same guidance (last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) says satisfactory CO detection for a house requires:

“CO detectors to be fitted in all rooms where there is a fixed combustion appliance (excluding an appliance used solely for cooking) or a flue.”

Scottish Government tolerable-standard guidance, Chapter 17

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service short-term lets page (last updated 28 October 2026; last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) says short-term let premises used for sleeping accommodation are subject to fire safety duties under Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, and that key duties include “Providing an appropriate fire detection and warning systems.” It points to Practical fire safety guidance for existing premises with sleeping accommodation, “with particular attention drawn to Annex 2: Small Bed and Breakfast and Self-catering Premises.” The landing page for that guidance loaded on that date; the Annex 2 chapter itself was not separately fetched, so its detailed alarm wording is not confirmed here. Check the official page.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Short term lets

Do not use the England-only Home Office guide as if it applied in Scotland. Confirm with the licensing authority whether the house tolerable-standard layout applies to your premises.

Scottish Government short-term lets host-guidance page 5 could not be re-read on 11 November 2026 (the page was not available to the draft’s research). Schedule 3 and mygov.scot were used instead. That host-guidance page is not confirmed here — check the official page.

Wales: use the Welsh guide

The Welsh Government guide A guide to making your guest accommodation safe from fire (2023; last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) is the official paying-guest fire guide for Wales. On detection, it says that if no commercial fire-alarm system is provided, “there will be a need for interlinked domestic smoke alarms and heat alarms (of the type normally found in houses and flats) in all areas where a fire might start.” And:

“Smoke alarms should be installed in hallways, corridors, staircases, lounges, dining rooms and bedrooms.”

“Heat alarms should be installed in every kitchen, and in any other rooms (such as laundry or utility rooms), in which false alarms might occur from smoke alarms, due to cooking fumes, steam, dust, etc.”

“All smoke and heat alarms in the premises should be interlinked, so that, when any alarm device detects fire, all smoke and heat alarms give an audible alarm simultaneously.”

On carbon monoxide it says:

“Carbon monoxide detectors should be provided where living accommodation contains a gas or solid fuel-burning appliance.”

Welsh Government, A guide to making your guest accommodation safe from fire (PDF)

A Welsh statutory rule that applies the English 2015 private-rented-sector alarm regulations to holiday lets was not found. Last checked: 11 November 2026, Europe/London.

FAQ

Is one smoke alarm per storey enough in an English holiday let? The 2015 Regulations, if they apply, require at least one smoke alarm on each storey used as living accommodation. The Home Office paying-guest guide, which is written for paying-guest premises, says smoke alarms should also be in hallways, corridors, staircases, lounges, dining rooms and bedrooms, and should be interlinked, with heat alarms in kitchens. Whether the 2015 Regulations themselves apply is unclear. This is not legal advice for a particular property.

Do the alarms have to be interlinked in England? The Home Office guide says they should be. That “should” is a recommendation in that guide, not the same as “must.” The 2015 Regulations booklet does not stipulate interlinking.

What about Scotland? The licence condition requires “satisfactory” fire and CO detection. For a house, Scottish Government guidance sets out interlinked smoke and heat alarms in named rooms, and CO detectors in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance or a flue. Confirm whether that house standard applies to your premises.

Will Letsafely tell me which alarms to buy? No. A reminder or a test log is not a specification and not a fire risk assessment.

Sources

All last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London.

Related reading: Do I need a fire risk assessment for a holiday let in England?, a printable holiday-let changeover checklist, and a free smoke and heat alarm test log.

A note about Letsafely

Hastech is building Letsafely, a reminder and log tool for holiday-let safety checks. A full version is planned. There is nothing to join here yet. This article does not take payment, does not specify which alarms to buy, and is not a fire risk assessment.