Fire Safety UK - 2 storey home

[Dionne70]

Hi all

I'm hoping to become a host but struggling to get definitive guidance on what is required to keep guests safe.

I have a 2 storey home with 2 of the 3 bedrooms on the second floor.  The living area (kitchen, dining room and lounge is open plan.  Currently there is no door on the stairs that lead directly from the dining room (adjacent to the kitchen) and it would be difficult to install one (it's a Victorian conversion) that doesn't look out of place and become a potential hazard in itself!

Is it mandatory to have a door between the kitchen and stairs?  Are there additional regulations for a second storey?

I'd be grateful for any advice or guidance.

Many thanks 🙂

[Helen3]

This is really helpful @John5097 

in the UK the process is that every owner of an STR  has to carry out a fire assessment to understand whether they are complying with the 2023/4 uk fire regulations 

they can either do this themselves or or pay a professional to do it for them .  Local fire brigades won't necessarily be able to help. 

improvements they may need to make include hard wired fire alarms and fire doors. 

[John5097]

@Helen3 

Our local fire department is also required to be in compliance with any national codes and requirements, so still think it's a good place to start and would also be a good resource on other national requirements. 

This is our self check list. It also cites relevant national safety agencies. It pretty much suggest resources to learn more. 

https://www.charleston-sc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28057/Self-Survey-Fire-Inspection-Places-of-Worshi...

This needs to be signed and submitted before scheduling a yearly fire marshal inspection.

 

It is useful and helps prevent fires, but is a measure to exclude the city from being included in a lawsuit as fires are going to happen. 

There are also many other discussions on these issues in other on line communities where people manage to discuss these issues from all over the world. I find that contractors have a good insight and understanding of a lot of potential risks. Even where yearly inspections are mandatory such as UK there can still be potential risk and hole in an exhaust pipe hidden in a wall for example. 

After a fire, regardless of how it starts, all kinds of code violations may also be exposed behind concealed walls. Sometimes homeowners, contractors, and even host conceal things that would fail inspection so they sell a property that may cause a fire years later. 

My advice is don't be frugal with smoke and fire detectors. 

[Helen3]

Where did you see yearly inspections are mandatory in the UK ? Not something I've come across @John5097 

I agree far too many hosts are lax a  bill out fire regulations and other checks such as in the UK annual boiler checks . 

[John5097]

@Helen3 I recall that was for a boiler. Admittedly it was a post on Reddit. The homeowner wanted to sue the inspector for missing a hole in the exhaust. He had yearly inspection that he paid for. I recall it wasn't cheap to have it inspected. Just going by memory but a lot of people familiar with it said the inspector should have caught it. The homeowner wanted to sue for exposure to carbon monoxide. I recall asking if he had a CO detector. That's what I was getting at. That topic comes up a lot and lots of pictures of gas hot water heaters or boilers with holes in the exhaust pipe. 

Anyway back on topic. Local codes are very relevant as that's where permits are issued. 

I've also seen other STR host abroad share pic of a tankless hot water heater they were having problems with. It wasn't vented properly. Local codes apply as that's where the permit was issued, or should have been, and code regiments are based on the manufacture's speciccaitons that would need to meet all kinds of health and safety both in the US, UK, EU, and toss California in there for good measure, as we all share some of the same brands: Bosh made in Germany, Rheme, just to name a few. Local host or homeowners might not be aware of local codes and may not be enforced but they would still apply, as that's where the lawsuits would also originate.

So having a self check list for is helpful, whether it be for national or local, but everything would still need to meet both local codes thats based on universal safety regulations.   

[John5097]

@Dionne70 

Also going by memory, but there have been a few other topics on smoke detectors from host from the UK which might be worth searching for. One in parturlar I recall a host in the UK mentioned that he circumvented local codes by installing a battery powered smoke detector, and boasted that the inspector didn't actually check to see if it was hardwired. That may be fine to pass an inspection, and most areas now allow them to be connected wirelessly, and can even be more reliable, as they would still communicate via radio frequency with each other even if power is disrupted, but if there is fire and the smoke detectors don't meet code that would be on the host and owner of the property. Also if a host sells a dwelling as a STR might be a good idea to remove all the smoke detectors and state in the contract that the new owner is responsible for installing them. 

In general it's amazing how frugal people are about smoke detectors when they are so inexpensive and carry so much liability. 

I'd also say do what works. I've never made an insurance claim while some people make a carrier out of it.  

[Helen3]

Yes that was a strange one particularly as we don't have inspectors come out to check 😀😀😀. @John5097 

[John5097]

@Helen3 

I took the time to share a lot of information relevant to hosting, as well as other host that took the time to chime in. 

Have you considered sharing any relevant informantion about your own listing, any measures you take to help ensure your guest safety, any regulations, tips? Anything that might be helpful to other host or guest who might consider staying at your listing?   

I have guest from the UK book with me on a regular bases. I have several upcoming resevarins.

My next one from the UK said "We are so lucky we found your listing!" When they booked. 

That means something. They need to book months in advance as I'm always booked months in advance. They want to be safe. My listing hits all the check marks for guest traveling from the UK and after they stay they loved it. 

The safety protocols, including fire, is just one of many things I have attempted to share. 

I've been posting here for years, sharing all kinds of information. I've also maintained all 5 star reviews after 480. I never would have imagined guests would be booking my back apartment from all over the world and absolutely love it, and they stay at Airbnbs all over the world also.

I also have 5 star average for value, but manage to have the best smoke/Co detectors. I even had to replace ones that were only 3 years old. That was just one out of many other improvements, amenities, communication, cleanliness, which make my lisiting the top 1% and guest favorite and I'm always booked 100% of the time for the past five and a half years.   

As I enjoy helping other host get started and in other forums I enjoy helping first time home owners. They really do applicant me and others. 

As more and more news stories make headlines about the risk of staying at STRs and Airbnbs, it's always a good idea to separate your listing from the others. 

I even designed my listing with guest safety in mind and added extra hand rails, lighting, etc. 

Everyone I've shared here in this partular post. My logs I keep, my experience with various smoke and CO detectors, I also share with my guest. It's all available to the public. It's even required to keep license and fire inspection presented for guest.  

Part of hosting is about communicaition. Guest from traveling internationally may want to feel more reassured the host is competent enough to ensure a safe stay.

More guest are traveling with their own CO detectors.

I have no idea if some of you other host are getting bookings or not. I can only share what works for me and my guest who travel internationally.

I can also assure other travelers that our city is extremely dedicated to visiotors safety.

So feel free to share any information that would make other guest feel safe in your listing. 

Otherwise it's time for me to move on to something else. My guest are safe and sound, my listing is in full compliance, and they absolutely appreciate it. 

They all know this right when they walk in the door to their reservation. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen3 @John5097 Interestingly listings in the UK are beginning to be inspected. Responsibility lies with the Fire Brigade and they are apparently doing the odd inspection in Derbyshire. I see this as a good thing because I am convinced many hosts are ignoring the laws assuming they won't get caught. 

[Helen3]

That's definitely a good thing . I haven't heard of any inspections in our area yet . @Mike-And-Jane0 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen3 its probably too hard to park the fire engine in cities!

[Helen3]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 @Mike-And-Jane0