The direct answer: curtains in paying-guest accommodation—such as holiday cottages, serviced accommodation, B&Bs and hotels—require BS 5867 compliance. Part 2 Type B is the normal requirement for most curtains, and Fire Proofing Ltd provides the competent treatment and certificate needed for the property’s records. Ordinary long-term residential tenancies are treated differently.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations cover specified upholstered furniture and furnishings supplied for domestic use; they do not cover curtains. That does not remove the separate fire-safety duties applying to paying-guest accommodation, licensed premises, common areas or other non-domestic settings.
01 · Start with the property use
Which type of rental is it?
The same pair of curtains can sit within a different regulatory and risk context depending on who occupies the property and why. Start with the actual use rather than assuming that “rental property” is one category.
A house or flat occupied as the tenant’s private home. The domestic furniture regulations apply to relevant upholstered items supplied by the landlord, but curtains are excluded. Other housing, licensing or insurer requirements may still need checking.
When guests pay to stay temporarily, the property is a commercial setting and its curtains require BS 5867 compliance. Type B is the normal requirement unless a higher level is specified.
Sleeping-accommodation guidance identifies BS 5867-2 for curtain and drape fabrics. Competent treatment allows suitable existing curtains to comply without unnecessary replacement.
Responsibilities can differ between private rooms and common parts, and local licensing conditions may apply. The landlord, manager or responsible person should confirm the precise requirement.
Official trading-standards guidance confirms that curtains are excluded from the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations: Isle of Anglesey County Council — goods in rented accommodation.
02 · Risk-based requirements
Fire-safety duties across the UK
Fire-safety legislation and licensing arrangements are not identical in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The common practical principle is that paying-guest accommodation needs an appropriate fire risk assessment, the findings must be acted on, and the measures must be kept under review.
The Fire Safety Order applies where someone pays to stay as a guest and the property is not occupied as a private dwelling. The current small paying-guest guidance is intended for simple properties within its stated size and layout limits.
Read GOV.UK guidance →Welsh guidance also centres on a property-specific fire risk assessment for guest accommodation and notes that short-term lets have stricter requirements than a domestic home.
Read Welsh Government guidance →Short-term-let hosts must assess fire risk, identify the necessary measures, implement them and maintain records. Licensing authorities determine the supporting documentation required.
Read Scottish Government guidance →Tourist-accommodation businesses must carry out fire risk assessments and put adequate prevention and evacuation measures in place. Tourism accommodation also requires the relevant certification.
Read official NI business guidance →Where BS 5867 fits
Official sleeping-accommodation guidance identifies BS 5867-2 for curtain and drape fabrics, including nets and linings. For paying-guest and other public or commercial settings, Type B is the normal requirement and Type C applies where the higher performance level is specified.
Read the GOV.UK sleeping-accommodation guidance →03 · Existing curtains
Can curtains already in the property be treated?
Many existing absorbent curtains can be professionally treated while hanging, avoiding unnecessary replacement. Suitability cannot be decided from the room type alone: the fabric and complete curtain construction must be assessed first.
What the competent person assesses
- Fibre composition and fabric construction
- Linings, blackout layers and interlinings
- Coatings, waterproofing and stain-resistant finishes
- Previous cleaning or unknown treatments
- Absorbency and access to the required surfaces
- Colour stability and visible condition
- The required standard and certificate wording
- Approximate measurements and item quantities
Different fibres and constructions may need different specialist formulations, concentrations or application rates. An experienced specialist can often identify composition from labels, construction, appearance, handle and practical textile knowledge. When composition or compatibility remains uncertain, a sample assessment may be needed.
- 01Confirm the requirement
Obtain the fire-risk-assessment instruction, licensing condition or insurer request rather than relying on a generic “FR” description.
- 02Assess the complete curtain
Review face fabric, linings, coatings, condition and any previous treatment or cleaning history.
- 03Select the treatment system
Choose the specialist product appropriate to the material and intended performance.
- 04Apply and record
Treat at the specified application rate, allow suitable drying and record the identified items and process.
04 · Evidence and records
What does the treatment certificate provide?
After suitable curtains have been treated, Fire Proofing Ltd issues a Certificate of Fire Retardant Treatment. This is valid formal evidence that the identified items were assessed and competently treated to the applicable BS 5867 requirement using the specialist system selected for their fabric composition.
The certificate is the document customers retain with the property’s fire-safety records and supply to a fire-risk assessor, insurer, licensing authority, managing agent or other approving body.
Confirm the property use, fabric construction and exact evidence requested.
Keep the certificate with the fire risk assessment, product information and relevant property records.
Reassess after washing, alterations, contamination, material damage or changes to the premises and its use.
Fire Proofing Ltd provides the complete route from fabric assessment and specialist treatment to the valid certificate required for compliance records. If an insurer or approving body has supplied unusual wording, send it before treatment so it can be addressed correctly.
05 · Suitable settings
Curtain treatment in accommodation and public venues
06 · Common questions
Rental-curtain questions
Do curtains in an ordinary rental property have to be fire retardant?+
There is no blanket UK rule requiring every curtain in every ordinary residential tenancy to meet BS 5867. Curtains are outside the scope of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations, although other licensing conditions, risk assessments or insurer requirements may apply.
Do holiday-let curtains have to meet BS 5867 Part 2 Type B?+
Yes. Paying-guest accommodation is a commercial use and its curtains and drapes require BS 5867 compliance. Part 2 Type B is the normal requirement, with Type C applying where the higher performance level is specified.
Can existing rental or hotel curtains be treated?+
Many absorbent curtain fabrics can be treated in place, but fibre composition, coatings, linings, previous finishes, condition and colour stability must be assessed first. Different materials can require different specialist treatment systems.
Is a treatment certificate suitable for an insurer or fire-risk assessor?+
Yes. A Certificate of Fire Retardant Treatment is valid formal evidence that identified items were treated by a competent person using the stated specialist system. It can be retained with fire-safety records and supplied to insurers, assessors or approving bodies.
Does washing remove fire-retardant treatment from curtains?+
Water washing can remove many non-durable treatments. Follow the applicable care instructions and have the curtains reassessed after washing, alterations, contamination or other significant changes.