The legal position
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 came into force on 23 January 2023. For residential buildings over 11 metres they require the responsible person to carry out quarterly checks of fire doors in communal areas and annual checks of flat entrance doors, to keep a record, and to give residents information about fire doors. They also made it an expectation, through the government's guidance, that checks are done by someone competent and that remedials are completed.
For other buildings the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 still applies: fire doors are part of the fire precautions that have to be maintained in efficient working order and good repair.
What a check covers
- Certification and labels. Is the doorset a certified fire door, and is there a label or plug to prove it?
- Gaps. Typically no more than 4 mm at the head and sides and 10 mm at the threshold, or whatever the doorset's certificate says.
- Seals. Intumescent and smoke seals present, continuous, undamaged and the right type for the door.
- Closer. The door closes fully and latches from any position, including from 75 mm open.
- Hinges. Usually three, fire rated, all screws present and tight, no wear.
- Leaf and frame. No damage, warping, holes or unauthorised alterations such as cat flaps or extra locks.
- Glazing. Fire rated glass, certified beads and intumescent glazing seals.
- Ironmongery. Locks, handles, letter plates and spyholes of a type tested with the door.
- Signage. Fire door keep shut or keep locked signs where required.
What the record should hold
Per door: a unique number, location, the date of each check, who did it, the result, any defects, what was done about them and when. Photographs make the record far more useful. Over time this becomes the door register that the fire service, the insurer or the Building Safety Regulator asks to see.
Checks are not remedials
The most common gap we see is a building with a full set of check records and a long list of defects nobody has fixed. The check finds the problem; the responsible person still has to have it put right by someone competent, with the right components for the doorset. On a flat entrance door that usually means a certified contractor working under a scheme such as BM TRADA Q-Mark, so the repair is recorded and the door's certification is not undermined.
See our fire door installation and maintenance service for how we survey, repair and record doors across a block.
Common questions
Does the 11 metre rule apply to my building?
If the top occupied floor is more than 11 metres above ground (roughly five storeys), yes. Below that, fire doors still have to be maintained under the Fire Safety Order, but the fixed check frequencies do not apply.
Can our caretaker do the quarterly checks?
The regulations do not name a qualification, but the checks must be done by someone competent and the government guidance sets out what to look for. Many managing agents use their own staff for the quarterly communal checks and a certified contractor for the annual flat entrance door checks and all remedials.
What if a resident refuses access to their flat entrance door?
The regulations require the responsible person to make reasonable efforts. Record the attempts, write to the resident, and keep trying. Most managing agents combine the door check with other annual access, such as the gas safety visit.