New listing

[Colin807]

Hi there I'm helping my parents with an new listing they have an Annex on their home and want to list it on Airbnb, in I wanted to ask what do they need to do regarding fire safety and electric items tagging and and any other things they would need to adhere too, it's in Cheshire east council.

Cheers Colin 

[Alex]

Hi @Colin807!

Thank you for posting your question in the Community. I'm sure your parents will really appreciate the support from everyone here. I'm going to tag some experienced hosts to see if they can help you gather all the information you need: @Cindy1764, @Nandini11, @Kwesi-Quao0, @Patricia2526 and @Lorina14. 

Thank you everyone in advance and hope we can help you!

Best, 

Alex

[Ryan4241]

Hi @Colin807 ,

That’s lovely you’re helping your parents with the annex - it sounds like a great idea 🌟. In terms of what’s needed in Cheshire (and across the UK now), the key bits are:

1. You’ll need to do a fire risk assessment and keep it written down (this is a legal must these days). It’s basically checking for hazards, making sure escape routes are clear, and noting what safety kit you’ve got. We had to do this with our place in manchester
2. Fit interlinked smoke alarms (and a heat alarm in the kitchen). These should be hard-wired so they all go off together. Failing that you can get off the shelf ones in asda that are still compliant
3. Have at least a fire blanket in the kitchen, and make sure locks on exit doors can be opened quickly without a key.
4. If you’ve got gas, you’ll need an annual Gas Safety certificate.
5. For electrics, a full check every 5 years (EICR), plus it’s wise to PAT test appliances like kettles/toasters.
6. Keep a little guest info sheet handy with a fire plan and emergency numbers - it’s both useful and reassuring.

Cheshire Fire & Rescue have some good free guidance online, and Airbnb now asks hosts to upload their fire docs before the listing can go live - so worth getting this sorted early.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Colin807 Please be very careful taking the advice of @Ryan4241 .

1) The Fire Risk Assessment is not something that just 'notes what safety kit you have'. It is actually a document that records all risks to do with fire and then specifies what equipment/actions you need to buy/take. Have a look on gov.uk and you will find a helpful document if the annex is a fairly standard layout. The Fire Risk Assessment must be carried out by a competent person - yes you can do it yourself but it is not without risks if something goes wrong. Equally if you employ someone to write it for you then you are responsible for them being suitably competent (and there is no way of knowing if they are)

2) There is no mention in the reply about escape lighting. When you look on gov.uk you will see this is required. Most assessments seem to allow rechargeable torches plugged into suitable sockets on the escape route

3) The guest info sheet may be useful and reassuring but actually it is a vital part of the Fire Risk Assessment actions. It needs to show exit routes/procedures in the event of fire and be prominently displayed in the property

Sadly many many hosts in the UK are not properly compliant with the legislation. Some think that if the property is new and complies with building regs then it must be compliant for Short Term Rental - It isn't! Others just don't seem bothered to comply or believe that if the guidance on gov.uk isn't suitable for their property then they can wait until more guidance comes out.

Final one from me - If the annex is accessible from the house (even if the door is locked during rental periods) then it may qualify under the governments rent a room scheme. This would make the first £7500 of income tax free. Again though please look in detail at the rules because they seem to change regularly and you don't want to get into trouble for tax evasion like Angela Rayner!

[Ryan4241]

Thanks for adding your thoughts, Mike. You’re right that the fire risk assessment is a detailed document and should be taken seriously. My reply was just a quick overview to help Colin get started, not a full breakdown of every requirement.

I completely agree that hosts should check gov.uk for the most up-to-date guidance and make sure they’re compliant with all the specifics. Hopefully between all our replies, Colin has a clearer picture of what steps to take next

[Colin807]

Thanks for all the information that's brilliant and much appreciated cheers Colin 

@Ryan4241 

[Lorina14]

@Colin807 

You have some good advice from hosts here. I was going to say it’s always best to contact the city your listing is located in to ask what the requirements are for STR’s, building permits, fire safety, and the like as they vary from each city, county, town, and country. Advice from hosts are helpful and it’s always best to check with your local ordinance to be in compliance.

[Dinesh87]

@Colin807 it’s great that you’re supporting your parents with their annex listing. You’ve already had some excellent advice here from @Ryan4241, @Mike-And-Jane0, and @Lorina14.

From my side, I’d just add that while hosts can share tips from experience, the safest step is always to cross-check with your local council and fire authority. Cheshire East Council and Cheshire Fire & Rescue usually have straightforward guidance on fire safety standards, electrical checks, and what documentation is needed for short-term rentals.

In practice, what helps is:

Making sure you’ve done a proper Fire Risk Assessment (even if self-completed, it needs to be detailed).

Clear exit plans displayed for guests.

Interlinked smoke/heat alarms, plus a fire blanket in the kitchen.

PAT-tested appliances and an up-to-date electrical safety certificate.

And of course, keeping a trusted tradesperson list handy for quick fixes.

That way, your parents’ listing not only meets compliance but also reassures guests that safety is taken seriously.

[Alex]

Hi @Colin807!

It's great to see that so many members came to your thread to help. Were you able to check their answers? Have your questions been answered? Let us know if you need any more help!

Best, 

Alex

[Colin807]

H yes thanks so much for all the help it's been extremely useful and much appreciated I tried to reply before but kept getting error messages.

Cheers Colin 

[Alex]

Of course @Colin807!

Were you able to fix the issue when you tried to send messages? Let me know if I can help you with that. I’m so happy this advice has been helpful! What has been the most useful tip you’ve received so far?

Best, 

Alex