Short-term accommodation
The council’s short-let guidance points hosts to FRA advice. Identify guest capacity, unfamiliar occupants, escape information, alarms, cooking and who checks the premises between stays.
Local assessment guidance · Brighton & Hove
Fire risk assessments in Brighton and Hove
In Brighton and Hove, a short-term guest let, licensed HMO and seafront hospitality venue can all create sleeping risk, but they need different assessment and management arrangements.
Brighton and Hove building context
Guest lets and HMOs should not be treated as one category
Brighton & Hove City Council advises short-let hosts to consider a fire risk assessment and publishes detailed HMO licensing standards. The legal and practical scope depends on the actual accommodation, common areas and management—not simply its location in a visitor city.
Licensed HMO
Council standards address common areas, alarms, escape routes and keeping assessment records current. Check the applicable licensing scheme and give the assessor current plans and maintenance evidence.
Hotel, café or event space
Describe sleeping accommodation, restaurant kitchens, public numbers, basement or upper-floor use and staff arrangements; a premises may combine several of these.
A practical local question
Is a short-let checklist enough for a Brighton guest property?
A checklist can organise evidence, but it cannot verify an unfamiliar building or settle a complex escape strategy by itself.
Check assessor competence- Identify whether the premises is a whole-property let, guesthouse, HMO, hotel or mixed-use building.
- Record maximum guest numbers, floors, cooking, detection, doors and escape information.
- Check who maintains and tests precautions, especially between bookings.
- Get competent assistance where the layout or shared-building interfaces exceed your own knowledge.
Match the assessment to the building
Brighton and Hove property routes
These guides explain the different questions an assessor may ask. For another use, browse the full property-type directory.
Short-term holiday let
Check guest use, between-stay management and the building arrangement.
Holiday-let guideHMO or shared rental
Separate licensing evidence from a suitable assessment of common parts.
HMO guideHotel or guesthouse
Scope sleeping occupants, staffing and all guest-facing areas.
Hotel guideIndicative cost
Why the starting price is not a fixed quote
A self-contained let is not the same inspection as a guesthouse or converted mixed-use building. The starting range excludes a confirmed travel arrangement; request a written scope and availability check for the full address.
Our starting bands are based on the London and Surrey planning model; the actual Brighton and Hove quotation will depend on the site-specific inspection, reporting and travel arrangements.
Use the full FRA cost calculatorCompare quotations on scope
- Named assessor and relevant building experience
- Areas to be inspected and site access
- Written report, significant findings and action plan
- Limitations, timescale, VAT and travel
Choose a suitable person
Check the assessor, not just the company name
Ask about recent work on comparable premises, insurance and who will inspect and sign the report. BAFE SP205 is organisation-level certification; NFRAR relates to an individual assessor’s registration. Check current status and competence for the exact job.
How to check competenceNo-obligation enquiry
Find assessment support for your Brighton and Hove premises
Send the essentials now. We can discuss the building, access, records and likely scope by telephone before a suitable assessor and quotation are confirmed.
Submitting this form does not book an assessment or commit you to a price.
Town-specific answers
Questions about Brighton and Hove fire risk assessments
The answer for a particular premises depends on its use, layout, occupants and current records.
Does a Brighton short-term let need fire-safety assessment?
The council’s host guidance directs operators to FRA advice. The duty and scope depend on the actual letting and premises; use the correct accommodation guidance.
Will an HMO licence cover a guest let?
No assumption should be made. HMO licensing and guest-accommodation use are different questions. Check the property-specific position with the council.
Is a Brighton visit guaranteed?
No. Enquiries are considered against the exact postcode, assessor availability, building complexity and travel before an appointment is offered.
Sources and context
Check the primary guidance
Council licensing and planning information may change. Check current official guidance for your address; the examples on this page are scoping prompts, not findings about a particular building.
More local guidance
Explore other locations
Start with our locations directory or another town guide. Each enquiry is reviewed for the actual premises.