Built for short-stay fire safety
Visit → write → hand over
County-wide Pembrokeshire
Cottages · Airbnb · glamping
Before the visit

Preparing for a fire-risk assessment on your holiday let

Holiday cottage hallway prepared for a compliance visit

Skip the panic tidy. A bit of prep helps the assessor see the property the way guests do — and leaves you with actions you can finish between changeovers.

How Pembrokeshire owners usually get ready for a fire risk assessment:

1. Confirm access to every guest space

Include:

  • All bedrooms and lofts used for sleeping
  • Annexes or garden rooms advertised for guests
  • Cupboards where consumer units or heating controls sit
  • External stores only if guests use them

If a space is locked for a reason, say so in advance.

2. Gather what you already have

You do not need a perfect filing system. Bring what exists:

  • Previous assessments or inspection notes
  • Alarm or detector purchase details (if known)
  • Insurance queries related to fire safety
  • Welcome-pack text you already send guests

Missing paperwork is common. The visit can still proceed.

3. Describe real occupancy — not the brochure ideal

Tell us:

  • Typical length of stay
  • Whether families with young children are frequent
  • Peak-season versus winter use
  • Whether pets are allowed indoors
  • Who manages turnovers locally

This context shapes proportionate advice for holiday-let fire safety.

Clipboard and notes on a holiday cottage table by a coastal window

4. Schedule around changeovers

Most owners prefer visits between bookings. When you book a free compliance consultation, share:

  • Blackout dates
  • Preferred midweek windows
  • Whether a manager can provide access if you are away

We cover Pembrokeshire towns from Narberth to the coast and aim to work around your calendar.

5. Know what “good” looks like after the visit

A useful outcome usually includes:

  • Written findings in plain language
  • Prioritised actions (not an undifferentiated dump)
  • Notes suitable for cleaners or managers
  • Guidance on when to review again

If you also need a shareable pack, ask about fire-safety documentation at the consultation stage.

Myths worth retiring

  • “I only let a few weeks a year, so nothing applies.” Short stays still need sensible fire-safety management.
  • “More equipment always means better compliance.” Proportionate measures beat clutter.
  • “Online checklists replace a property visit.” Templates help preparation; they do not see your stair.

Aftercare between seasons

Treat the action log as a living list. Tick items as you complete them, note dates, and keep the latest version where your manager can find it. That habit is as valuable as the assessment day itself.

Book the visit

Request a fire-risk assessment or skim examples of our work. We will confirm scope, sort access, and leave priorities — not alarmist noise.

More articles

Why owners call us first

  • Short-stay lens

    Advice that assumes strangers

    Guests do not know your stairs or where the latch sticks. Cottages, Airbnb, guest houses, glamping — written for weekly turnover, not a long-term tenant handbook.

    Our services
  • No scare pitch

    Priorities, not a van of kit

    We say what earns its place and what can wait until autumn. You choose how and when to act — we do not talk you into hardware you do not need.

    View our work
  • Simple sequence

    Talk, walk, write it down

    Free compliance consultation, property visit when it makes sense, findings a manager can open on Friday. You always know the next step.

    How we work
  • Occupancy first

    Ask how the let runs

    Sleeps how many? Who cleans between turns? Open-plan cooker next to the sofa? We ask before we recommend — not the other way round.

    Book a free consultation
  • Records that travel

    Paperwork for changeover day

    Reports, action logs, and guest sheets that survive a busy turnover. Useful when a platform, insurer, or new cleaner asks awkward questions.

    Read FAQs
  • Local only

    Pembrokeshire, end of list

    Tenby to Fishguard, St Davids to Milford Haven, and the villages between. Staying local keeps the advice honest about coastal cottages and late check-ins.

    Areas we cover