Your guests are trusting you with their safety. Here is exactly what the law requires.
Short-term let guests are not like long-term tenants. They arrive unfamiliar with the property. They do not know where the stopcock is, how the boiler works, or which door is the fire escape. They might arrive at midnight with children. They might leave the heating on full blast for a week and then the property sits empty for a fortnight.
This pattern creates specific safety obligations. Some are the same as BTL requirements. Others are stricter because of the transient, unsupervised nature of STL use.
This guide covers every safety certificate and check your property needs, split by jurisdiction.
Gas safety certificate (CP12)
Required in: England, Scotland, Wales Frequency: Every 12 months Who does it: Gas Safe registered engineer
The same certificate BTL landlords need. A Gas Safe engineer inspects all gas appliances, pipework, and flues. If it passes, you get a CP12 (Landlord Gas Safety Record).
For STL properties, pay extra attention to:
- Guest instructions - leave clear written instructions for the boiler and any gas appliances. Guests will not have had the handover a long-term tenant gets
- CO alarm placement - a carbon monoxide alarm in every room with a gas appliance. In Scotland, CO alarms must be in every room with a combustion appliance (including solid fuel)
- Vacant periods - if the property sits empty for weeks between bookings, check the boiler fires correctly before the next guest arrives
Penalty for non-compliance: up to £6,000 fine or 6 months imprisonment (Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998).
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
Required in: England, Scotland, Wales Frequency: Every 5 years Who does it: Qualified electrician (Part P or SELECT member in Scotland)
The EICR checks the fixed wiring, consumer unit, earthing, and bonding. It must be rated "satisfactory" for you to let. An "unsatisfactory" EICR with C1 or C2 codes means remedial work before letting.
STL-specific considerations:
- PAT testing - Portable Appliance Testing is not a standalone legal requirement but is strongly recommended for STL properties. Guests use your kettle, your toaster, your hairdryer. If a guest is injured by a faulty appliance, your liability insurance will ask whether it was tested
- Extension leads - guests bring phone chargers, laptop chargers, travel adaptors. Make sure sockets are sufficient so guests are not daisy-chaining extension leads
- Outdoor electrics - if you have garden lighting, a hot tub, or outdoor sockets, these need to be on the EICR
Penalty for non-compliance: up to £30,000 per breach in England (Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020). Scotland enforces through the Repairing Standard.
Fire safety
Fire safety for STL is more involved than BTL because of the transient occupancy.
Smoke and CO alarms
| Jurisdiction | Requirement |
|---|---|
| England | Smoke alarm on every storey. CO alarm in rooms with a combustion appliance. Battery alarms acceptable. |
| Scotland | Interlinked alarms in every room: smoke alarms in living rooms, hallways, and landings; heat alarm in kitchen; CO alarm where there is a combustion appliance. Must be hardwired or sealed 10-year lithium battery. |
| Wales | Mains-powered, interlinked smoke alarms on every storey. CO alarm in rooms with combustion appliances. |
Scotland has the strictest requirements. If your Scottish STL property still has standalone battery alarms, you are non-compliant.
Fire safety equipment
Beyond alarms, STL properties should have:
- Fire blanket in the kitchen
- Fire extinguisher - not legally required in most cases but expected by Scottish STL licensing
- Clear escape routes - no furniture blocking hallways or exit doors
- Fire escape plan displayed in the property - a simple floor plan showing exits
- Emergency information card visible to guests
Scotland STL licence fire conditions
Scottish STL licences come with mandatory fire safety conditions. These typically include:
- Working, interlinked alarm system
- Fire blanket in the kitchen
- Safe, clear escape route from every room
- Fire doors where required by building regulations
- Fire escape plan provided to guests
A property that fails on fire safety will not get a licence.
Legionella risk assessment
Required in: England, Scotland, Wales Frequency: Every 2 years (review), or when circumstances change Who does it: You can self-assess for simple domestic properties. Complex systems need a professional.
Legionella bacteria grow in stagnant water between 20-45 degrees Celsius. STL properties are at higher risk than BTL because of vacancy periods - water sits in pipes between bookings.
For STL properties specifically:
- Flush the system before each guest arrival - run all taps, shower heads, and toilets for at least 2 minutes. This is not just good practice, it is the single most effective control measure
- Set hot water to 60 degrees or above at the cylinder (if you have one). Legionella dies above 60 degrees
- Descale shower heads regularly - legionella thrives in scale and biofilm
- If the property has been vacant for more than a week, flush for longer (5+ minutes on all outlets)
A simple domestic property (combi boiler, no stored water, no complex system) is LOW risk. A property with a large hot water cylinder, a cold water storage tank, or a spa/hot tub is higher risk and may need a professional assessment.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
Required in: England, Scotland, Wales Frequency: Valid for 10 years Minimum rating: E (England and Wales). Scotland has no minimum for STL but requires an EPC.
Your property must have a valid EPC before you advertise it. The EPC must be available to guests on request.
STL twist: if your property also qualifies as a commercial premises (business rates instead of council tax), different energy efficiency rules may apply. Check with your council.
Public liability insurance
Not a legal requirement in England or Wales, but effectively mandatory.
In Scotland, public liability insurance is a mandatory condition of the STL licence. Minimum cover is typically £1m-£5m depending on the council.
Even where not legally required, operating an STL without public liability insurance is reckless. If a guest trips on a loose carpet and breaks a wrist, you are personally liable for their medical costs, loss of earnings, and compensation. A single claim can be tens of thousands of pounds.
Standard home insurance does not cover STL use. You need a specific STL or holiday let policy.
Buildings and contents insurance
Your insurance must cover STL use. Call your insurer and tell them the property is used for short-term letting. If they say the policy does not cover it, switch to a specialist STL insurer.
Claims where the insurer discovers the property was being used as an STL without their knowledge are routinely rejected.
Guest information pack
Not a strict legal requirement everywhere, but expected by Scottish STL licensing and strongly recommended in all jurisdictions. Your guest information pack should include:
- Property address and your contact details
- Emergency contact number (or how to reach you 24/7)
- Fire escape plan
- Location of stopcock, fuse box, gas meter
- Heating and hot water instructions
- Wi-Fi details
- Waste and recycling collection days
- Parking information
- House rules (quiet hours, smoking, pets)
- Local emergency numbers
This is not just compliance - it is good hosting that reduces guest contact and complaints.
Summary by jurisdiction
| Item | England | Scotland | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas safety (CP12) | Mandatory, annual | Mandatory, annual | Mandatory, annual |
| EICR | Mandatory, 5-yearly | Mandatory, 5-yearly | Mandatory, 5-yearly |
| EPC | Mandatory, min E | Mandatory, no min | Mandatory, min E |
| Smoke alarms | Every storey, battery OK | Interlinked, hardwired/sealed | Mains, interlinked |
| CO alarms | With combustion appliances | With combustion appliances | With combustion appliances |
| Fire blanket/extinguisher | Recommended | STL licence condition | Recommended |
| Legionella RA | Required | Required | Required |
| Public liability insurance | Recommended | Mandatory (licence) | Recommended |
| Guest info pack | Recommended | Expected (licence) | Recommended |
How SelfLet Stays helps
SelfLet Stays tracks all 16 STL compliance items across Scotland, England, and Wales. Each item shows what you need, when it expires, and step-by-step guidance on how to get compliant. Upload your certificates directly against each item. The self-assessment tools for legionella and fire risk let you complete the straightforward cases yourself and flag when you need a professional.