As a holiday homeowner the safety of your guests will be paramount you want them to have a great time and you want them to have a safe time. When it comes to fire safety, small details can make a significant difference. To be able to open a final exit door easily is a requirement for sleeping accommodation.  C onsidering the appropriate means of escape is a fundamental part of any  holiday home fire risk assessment. The scenario Most people have a night time routine which often involves locking all doors, and in a significant number of cases removing the key to a regular spot nearby.   It becomes an automatic process. So imaging waking in the middle of the night, in an unfamiliar place, disorientated from waking suddenly to a screeching smoke alarm, maybe impaired by a few whisky’s (we are in Scotland after all).   You open the bedroom door and can smell the smoke; adrenaline surges and you dash down stairs for the front door.   It’s locked and there’s no key, you can’t remember where

       1 .    Cooking appliances      It’s always a good idea to have a small fire extinguisher and fire blanket in the kitchen.   Cooking appliances cause over 40% of accidental house fires.      Cookers, ovens, rings and hot plates, grills and toasters are the common sources of ignition.      2.    Electrical      Electrical failure of a component of the main electrical installation or fixed equipment is the second highest cause of fires.   This is why an EICR is so important, it may not prevent all fires but can highlight any problems.           Wiring, cabling and plugs (especially if overloaded), heating equipment                such as thermostats or fixed heaters are the common sources of ignition.        3.    Electrical appliances      This runs a very close 3 rd place to the main electrical installation and includes all white goods you can find in the kitchen such as dishwashers, tumble dryers and fridges.   Other problems arise through overloading extension leads and