Fire doorsets in flats and apartments

Manufacturers rate fire doors based on the time they can withstand the spread of fire and smoke. They do this by undertaking testing by independent 3rd party certification bodies. The minimum standard rating in the UK is FD30 - stating that the door will withstand for a minimum of 30 minutes. The specific fire rating needed depends on its location, the specified plans and building regulations. 

Fire doors are suitable in various locations in flats and apartments, such as the internal doors within a property, flat entrance doors and communal areas such as corridors and stairwells. 

UK Building Regulation for Fire Doors in Flats

In the United Kingdom, the regulation of fire doors in flats is governed by Approved Document B of the Building Regulations, which sets out comprehensive guidelines to ensure fire safety in residential buildings. According to these regulations, all fire doors must comply with specific performance criteria, including fire resistance, integrity and insulation properties. The regulations stipulate that fire doors in flats should be able to resist fire only or fire and smoke for a minimum duration, typically 30 to 60 minutes depending on the building layout and other safety measures in place. 

Key requirements under Approved Document B include the installation of self-closing devices on fire doors to ensure that they automatically close after use, maintaining the integrity of fire and smoke barriers. The document also outlines the need for fire doors to be fitted with intumescent seals and smoke seals, which expand when exposed to heat. 

JELD-WEN fire doorsets comply with UK building regulations and are available as FD30 and FD60 fire rated as required. The benefit of purchasing a fire doorset rather than a door assembly kit is that the product is delivered pre assembled with the correct seals already in place. 

Are fire doors a legal requirement in flats?

Yes, in certain instances where fire doors are required by building regulations, they are a legal requirement. Failure to comply with building requirements, can lead to serious penalties.  

The Building Safety Act 2022 made ground-breaking reforms to give residents and homeowners more rights, powers, and protections. The Act created three new bodies to provide effective oversight of the new regime: the Building Safety Regulator, the National Regulator of Construction Products and the New Homes Ombudsman. 

Many of the detailed provisions in the Act have been implemented over the last two years through a programme of secondary legislation. 

Maintenance of existing fire doors in flats and apartments

Fire doors should be checked regularly to ensure they are in good condition. This involves checking for damage, ensuring the seals are intact, and making sure the self-closing mechanisms work correctly. It is also important to ensure that the doors are not blocked. 

Landlords and property management companies must make sure that fire doors in their properties are properly maintained. Failure to comply with fire safety regulations can endanger residents and result in significant penalties. 

It is also important to educate residents on the importance of fire doors in flats. Simple action such as not propping fire doors open and reporting faults are vital to the continued performance of fire doors. 

For more information, visit the BWF website

Who is Responsible for Fire Doors in Flats in the UK?

Responsibility for fire doors in flats in the UK primarily falls upon the building owner, property manager, or landlord. These parties need to ensure that all fire doors in the property meet the standards set by the Building Regulations. They also need to make sure that the fire doors are in good condition.  

Landlords and property managers must conduct regular risk assessments to identify any potential fire hazards and ensure compliance with fire safety regulations. These assessments should include checking the functionality of self-closing mechanisms, verifying the condition of intumescent and smoke seals, and addressing any defects or damages that could compromise the performance of the fire doors. Additionally, they should keep thorough records of all inspections and maintenance activities as evidence of compliance with regulatory requirements. 

For more information, please visit Fact sheet: Fire doors (regulation 10) - GOV.UK

Bespoke Fire Doors for Flats

JELD-WEN manufacture a wide range of fire doors that are perfect for blocks of flats and apartments.  

We offer both FD30 and FD60 internal and communal doorsets, as well as flat entrance doorsets with fire rated top and side light configurations available. 

Choose from a variety of stylish designs for JELD-WEN fire rated doorsets without sacrificing on style or safety. Additionally, we have a range of high quality, compliant hardware options. 

We are committed to independent, third party testing of our fire doorsets to provide ultimate compliance, traceability and confidence to our customers. Our fire doorsets are certified by Certifire and BMTrada, and our flat entrance doorsets are dual certified for both fire, smoke and security.  

All JELD-WEN fire doorsets are manufactured with a fire door data pin – the latest development in fire door safety. These data pins are embedded with NFC technology to allow each doorset to be uniquely identified and to digital retain all product, documentation, installation, and maintenance records in a cloud storage. For more info on our fire door data pins visit here