Fire Door Checks in Blocks of Flats: What the 2022 Regulations Require

Fire doors hold back fire and smoke long enough for residents to stay safe or escape. A fire door works when it closes fully, seals properly and stays in its original, undamaged condition, so it needs regular checks.

Buildings over 11 metres

In England, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require the responsible person in multi-occupied residential buildings over 11 metres tall to:

• Check fire doors in communal areas at least every three months
• Use best endeavours to check flat entrance doors at least once a year
• Give residents information about the importance of fire doors to the building's fire safety

All blocks with two or more flats

Whatever their height, buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises must give residents fire safety instructions, including how to report a fire and what to do when one breaks out, along with information about fire doors.

What a check looks at

• Self-closing device closes the door fully into the frame
• Gaps around the door are within tolerance
• Intumescent strips and smoke seals are present and undamaged
• Hinges, glazing and signage are intact
• The door is free of wedges, holes and unauthorised alterations

We carry out and record these checks during scheduled visits. Our construction background means we can tell a door that needs adjusting from one that needs replacing, and we have any faults fixed by competent, certified fire door specialists at a fair price.