New guidance clarifies fire door rules in residential buildings
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 place duties on responsible persons regarding fire doors in all residential buildings with communal areas. In buildings over 11 metres in height with two or more sets of domestic premises, the responsible person must:
- Check flat entrance doors at least once every 12 months
- Check fire doors in communal areas at least every 3 months
Do flat entrance doors need to meet current standards?
Some leaseholders have been advised to replace older doors to meet modern specifications. However, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has now issued updated guidance to address confusion.
The official guidance states clearly:
“For avoidance of doubt, the purpose of these Regulations is not to ensure that existing flat entrance doors satisfy the current standards for flat entrance doors in new blocks of flats…
…the requirement is that the fire performance of the door is adequate to address the risk to residents from fire.
In short, it is expected that, in the majority of circumstances, a door that satisfied the standards at the time it was installed will continue to provide adequate protection, provided it is undamaged and gaps around the frame are not excessive. The absence of intumescent strips, smoke seals or certification does not automatically make the door unfit for purpose.”
What does this mean in practice?
Routine checks must still be carried out. Responsible persons should ensure that:
- The door is undamaged
- The self-closing mechanism works properly
- There are no large gaps between the door and the frame
If these conditions are met, the door is likely to remain compliant, even without modern certification or seals.
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