Tourist hits out at council over Glasgow Airbnb fire safety

Heather Chalmers visited from Switzerland in October, with her husband and a friend.

The group stayed in a short-term accommodation in Woodside, booked through the popular website Airbnb.

Despite paying almost £250 per person for three nights, they were dissatisfied with the space.

The biggest issue was when the visitors found a fire extinguisher which expired 17 years ago.

The fire extinguisher (Image: Supplied)

She said: "Under the cupboard, there was a fire extinguisher which expired in 2006 and I was really shocked and disgusted by this.

"I was frightened and wrote to Airbnb. You could see that it was corroded and it had been there for a very long time.

"It was also very small and hidden at the back of the cupboard."

The guests were immediately alarmed and felt unsafe.

Heather added: "We would have had no chance to get out if there was a fire.

"And then I realised it was even worse because it was a third-floor flat, we couldn't have gotten out.

"If we were in the living room and flames broke out and we had to leave the room, we couldn't have found our way to the door because we didn't know where it was.

"There was no signage and no way out indicated anywhere."

The visitor said they all felt trapped because there were no other devices which would have helped put out a fire.

She added: "There was no other way, no fire blanket, no fire plan or any mention of where to fire at all.

"It also didn't look like anyone else lived there, it was quiet and there was lots of unopened mail on the floor."

Following this experience, Ms Chalmer is calling for the council to take more responsibility and ensure short-term lets are better regulated.

She said: "I believe that every council should have minimum requirements and a duty of care to ensure that all of these homes are fire safe.

"There could have been a family with kids staying there.

"The next person will have the same problem. You could potentially die, it's not safe at all.

"These properties are like the Wild West and clearly, nobody is regulating them."

Airbnb contacted the owner and the trio moved out and paid for a hotel room nearby, after receiving a partial refund.

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In Glasgow, a short-term let licence, given by the council, is needed for anyone to operate an Airbnb.

This new regulation, introduced last year, requires hosts to register before 2025.

Once registered, the council will be responsible for ensuring they hold up to standard.

One condition is that "the premises have satisfactory equipment installed for detecting, and for giving warning of fire or suspected fire, and the presence of carbon monoxide in a concentration that is hazardous to health".

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: "An application for a short-term let licence has been received in connection with this address and it will be fully considered in due course.

“All applications are determined on the merits of the individual case and within the context of our policy on short-term let licences, which includes conditions set by national legislation.”

An Airbnb spokesperson said: "The safety of our community is a priority, and we regularly send Hosts in Scotland expert advice and information on fire safety and update them on local rules and regulations.

"We have reached out to the Host to remind them of local fire safety guidance.”