A fire door is a specially constructed door assembly designed to:
• Resist the spread of fire and smoke
• Protect escape routes
• Contain fire within a compartment
Most fire doors in residential buildings are designed to resist fire for 30 or 60 minutes, provided they are correctly installed, maintained, and kept closed.
In blocks of flats, fire doors support the “stay put” strategy, which assumes:
• Fire will be contained within the flat of origin
• Escape routes remain protected
• Other residents remain safe without immediate evacuation
A single failed fire door can compromise the safety of the entire building.
Fire doors are typically required:
• At the entrance door to each flat
• On communal corridors and stairwells
• In service cupboards and plant rooms
• Between different fire compartments
Flat entrance doors are especially critical because they form part of the building’s fire compartmentation.
Responsibility depends on location:
- Communal Fire Doors
The Responsible Person (usually the freeholder, managing agent, or landlord) is responsible for:
• Inspection
• Maintenance
• Repair
• Record keeping
- Flat Entrance Doors
These are usually:
• The responsibility of the building owner or managing agent for fire safety compliance
• Even if the door is owned or altered by the leaseholder
Legal accountability for life safety cannot be signed away through a lease.
Generally, no — not without permission.
Residents should not:
• Replace fire doors with non-fire-rated doors
• Remove self-closing devices
• Change seals, glazing, or hardware
• Fit cat flaps, letterboxes, or locks without approval
Unauthorised changes can render the door non-compliant and put lives at risk.
In most cases, no.
If a fire door forms part of the building’s fire safety strategy:
• The Responsible Person has a legal duty to inspect it
• Reasonable access can be requested for safety purposes
Refusal may place the resident — and others — at risk and can escalate into legal action.
Yes.
Residents have the right to:
• Safe escape routes
• Properly maintained fire doors
• Protection from fire and smoke spread
If fire doors are damaged, altered, or poorly maintained, residents are entitled to raise concerns with:
• Managing agents
• Freeholders
• Local authority or fire authority (as a last resort)
Best practice typically includes:
• Regular checks of communal fire doors
• Routine inspection of flat entrance doors
• Additional checks after reported damage or alterations
Inspection frequency should be determined by the fire risk assessment.
Common failures include:
• Doors not closing properly
• Missing or damaged seals
• Excessive gaps
• Damaged door frames
• Broken or missing self-closers
• Door wedges or hold-open devices
Even small defects can cause a fire door to fail in minutes.
Yes — unless the door is fitted with an approved automatic hold-open device linked to the fire alarm system.
Wedges, hooks, and improvised devices:
• Render the fire door ineffective
• Are a common enforcement issue
• Put lives at serious risk
Fire doors are required where identified as necessary by:
• Building design
• Fire safety legislation
• Fire risk assessments
In practice, most blocks of flats rely heavily on fire doors for life safety.
Non-compliant fire doors can lead to:
• Enforcement notices
• Mandatory remedial works
• Fines or prosecution
• Invalidation of insurance
• Increased risk of injury or death
Lack of inspection records is one of the most common failings.
This depends on:
• Lease terms
• Location of the door
• Cause of damage
However:
• Cost responsibility does not remove safety responsibility
• Urgent safety works must still be addressed
Delays caused by disputes can increase legal exposure.
Residents should:
1. Report issues to the managing agent or landlord
2. Request written confirmation of action
3. Escalate if safety concerns are ignored
Clear reporting protects residents and demonstrates due diligence.
Residents should regularly check:
• The door closes fully on its own
• Seals are intact
• No visible damage
• No unauthorised alterations
If in doubt — report it.
No.
• A fire risk assessment evaluates overall building risk
• A fire door inspection focuses on door condition and compliance
Both are essential and work together.
If you live in a block of flats: very possibly, yes
In most blocks of flats, the front door to each flat is a critical fire door, even though it looks like a normal domestic door.
If your front door:
• Opens onto a communal corridor or stairwell
• Forms part of the building’s fire compartmentation
• Is relied upon for a “stay put” fire strategy
…then it must meet fire-resistance standards (usually 30 minutes).
If it doesn’t, it is considered non-compliant.
Potential consequences include:
• Formal enforcement action
• Legal notices requiring replacement
• Increased insurance risk
• Personal liability if a fire spreads due to door failure
In extreme cases, failure to act could contribute to serious injury or loss of life.
Fire doors save lives — but only if they work.
In blocks of flats, fire door safety is a shared responsibility between:
• Building owners
• Managing agents
• Residents
Clear communication, regular inspections, and prompt maintenance protect everyone.
Ignoring fire door safety doesn’t just breach regulations — it puts lives at risk.
