Fire Safety Alert from the NCC

The Home Office published “A guide to making your small paying-guest-accommodation safe from fire” last autumn without consultation.

Whilst compliance with the requirements is the responsibility of the company or the individual letting out the accommodation, certain requirements can be effectively incorporated only at the time of manufacture.

The nature of the Holiday Caravan and Park Home sectors is such that it is not possible, at the time of manufacture, to identify with absolute certainty how a Holiday Caravan or Park Home will be used throughout its operational lifespan.

The relevant fire safety requirements for letting accommodation were reviewed and considered by the NCC’s Holiday Caravan and Park Home Manufacturers' Section Committees in regard to the new model year (2025) i.e. those manufactured from 1 September 2024.

All EN1647 and BS3632 units, manufactured from 1 September 2024, will have the following specification as standard

1. All bedrooms will be fitted with interlinked hard wired D1 grade smoke alarms.  This is in addition to the grade D1 smoke alarm which is already fitted as standard in enclosed hallways and in the living area.

2. All escape windows will be fitted with a label to identify the window as a means of escape.

The following items are also required for units that are made available for hire by a park operator or an individual caravan owner:

1. A fire blanket complying with BS EN 1869:2019

2. A minimum of 1kg dry powder fire extinguisher complying with BS EN 3-7:2004+A1:2007

3. Mattresses that comply with Crib 5 as defined in the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988/1989, 1993 and 2010

These items are easily replaceable at any time within a holiday caravan or a park home/lodge and are therefore not a requirement to be added at the point of manufacture.