43% of UK Hotels Haven't Updated Fire Safety Since 2020

43% of UK hotels are running fire safety documentation that hasn't been updated since before 2020. The Fire Safety Act 2021 changed the requirements. The Building Safety Act 2022 added more. These hotels are operating under a framework that no longer exists.

What Changed Post-2020

The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that fire risk assessments must cover the building's structure, external walls, and flat entrance doors — not just communal areas. The Building Safety Act 2022 added requirements for higher-risk buildings including a safety case, Accountable Person registration, and enhanced record-keeping. Hotels in higher-risk buildings are directly in scope.

The Specific Gaps

• Fire risk assessments that don't cover external walls or cladding systems
• No assessment of flat/room entrance door fire performance
• PEEPs (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans) not in place for guests with disabilities
• Staff fire safety training records lapsed or non-existent
• Evacuation strategy not reviewed for hybrid stay-in-place / simultaneous approaches

Why Hotels Are Behind

The pandemic decimated hospitality budgets. Many hotels spent 2020-2022 focused on survival, not compliance updates. When business recovered, operational demands took priority over regulatory catch-up. Three years later, the gap is wider than it should be.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the penalty for outdated fire safety documentation in a hotel?

Enforcement notices, prohibition notices (closure of affected areas), and prosecution of the responsible person. Fines are unlimited for fire safety offences. Hotel operators carry personal criminal liability under fire safety legislation.

How quickly can a hotel update its fire safety framework?

A comprehensive update — new fire risk assessment, PEEP procedures, staff training, documentation review — takes 4-8 weeks for a typical hotel. The bottleneck is usually fire risk assessment availability, so book early.