Holiday Let Compliance Checklist 2026: England, Scotland & Wales

Running a compliant holiday let in the UK means tracking certificates across multiple categories, each with different renewal dates and different rules depending on where your property sits. This checklist covers everything — organised by category, with the legislation references you need.

Use this alongside our free Compliance Checklist Generator to get a tailored version for your specific property.

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Requirements vary by local authority — confirm with your council.

Fire Safety

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Fire Safety Act 2021 set fire safety requirements for all UK short-term lets.

• Fire risk assessment — written, covering all fire risks. Must be accessible to guests. Review annually.
• Interlinked smoke and heat alarms — hard-wired in all bedrooms, living rooms, and escape routes. Test between every guest changeover.
• Emergency escape lighting — in bedrooms and along escape routes. Annual professional check.
• Fire doors — 30-minute fire-resistant doors on protected escape routes. Inspect during fire risk assessment.
• Fire extinguishers and blankets — fire blanket in kitchen as minimum. Annual professional service.
• Platform certification — fire safety certification uploaded to Airbnb/Booking.com/Vrbo. Required since April 2025. Annual renewal with photographic evidence.

Enforcement: Fire and Rescue Services can inspect. Non-compliance carries unlimited fines and potential prosecution under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Gas Safety

Required for all properties with gas appliances under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

• Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) — annual inspection by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Valid 12 months.
• Certificate available for guests — keep a copy in the property or accessible on request.
• Carbon monoxide detector — in every room with a gas appliance. Test regularly.

Electrical Safety

• EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) — completed by a qualified electrician. Valid for 5 years.
• PAT testing — portable appliance testing for electrical items you provide (kettles, toasters, lamps). Annual recommended, not legally mandated for holiday lets but demonstrates due diligence.

EPC (England & Wales Only)

Under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) Regulations 2015:

• Valid EPC — required if property is let for 4+ months per year. Valid for 10 years.
• Rated E or above — current minimum. Government plans to extend the EPC requirement to all short-term lets regardless of letting duration.
• Plan for Band C by October 2030 — proposed MEES increase. If currently D or E, budget for improvements now.

Insurance

• Public liability insurance — covers guest injury claims. Standard home insurance does not cover short-term letting.
• Specialist holiday let insurance — covers property damage, loss of income, guest belongings. Since January 2025, major insurers require documented fire safety compliance.
• Mortgage check — confirm your mortgage permits short-term letting. Standard residential mortgages typically restrict or prohibit it. A consent-to-let variation or specialist holiday let mortgage may be needed.

Registration & Licensing

Scotland

• Short-term let licence — mandatory since 1 January 2025. Separate licence per property. Criminal offence to operate without one (fines up to £2,500). Apply through your local council. Source: Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing Order) 2022.
• Planning permission (control areas) — required in Edinburgh, Highland, Argyll & Bute, and other designated areas. Check with your council.

England

• National registration — expected Spring 2026. Registration number required on all platform listings. Penalties up to £5,000 for non-registration. Source: GOV.UK consultation.
• London 90-day tracking — if in a London borough, track nights against the 90-day annual cap. Exceeding without planning permission risks fines up to £20,000.

Wales

• Visitor accommodation registration — scheme in development under the Visitor Accommodation (Register) (Wales) Act 2023. Expected 2026.
• 182-day letting threshold — must let for 182+ days per year to qualify for business rates (vs council tax). Track and document your letting days.

Tax & Administration

• Self Assessment registration — register with HMRC if not already. Holiday let income is taxable.
• Making Tax Digital (MTD) — from April 2026, digital record-keeping and quarterly submissions required if income exceeds £50,000. Threshold drops to £30,000 (2027) and £20,000 (2028).
• FHL regime abolished — since April 2025, Furnished Holiday Let tax advantages no longer apply. Speak to an accountant about the impact.
• VAT registration — required if your annual turnover exceeds £90,000. Check GOV.UK VAT threshold guidance.
• Data protection — if collecting guest data (names, emails, payment info), comply with UK GDPR. Have a privacy policy accessible to guests.

Guest Information

• Guest information pack — include fire safety instructions, gas shut-off location, emergency numbers, check-out instructions.
• Emergency contact — provide guests with a 24-hour contact number.
• House rules — displayed in property. Cover noise, smoking, max occupancy.

Renewal Calendar

Certificate/Licence	Renewal Period	Alert At
Gas Safety (CP12)	12 months	90 days before expiry
EICR	5 years	6 months before expiry
EPC	10 years	12 months before expiry
Fire risk assessment	Annual review	60 days before review date
Public liability insurance	Annual	60 days before renewal
Holiday let insurance	Annual	60 days before renewal
Scotland licence	Up to 3 years	6 months before expiry
Platform certification	Annual	30 days before renewal

For a tailored version of this checklist based on your specific property, try our free Compliance Checklist Generator. For the full regulatory context, read our short-term let regulations guide.

Sources

• Legislation.gov.uk — Fire Safety Act 2021
• Legislation.gov.uk — Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
• Legislation.gov.uk — Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
• Legislation.gov.uk — Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) Regulations 2015
• Legislation.gov.uk — Scotland STL Licensing Order 2022
• GOV.UK — England registration scheme consultation
• Legislation.gov.uk — Visitor Accommodation (Register) (Wales) Act 2023