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Fire safety explainedThe short answer: in multi-occupied residential buildings over 11 metres, communal fire doors need checking every three months and flat entrance doors at least annually. Here's what the law says and what an inspection covers.
Since January 2023, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 have placed specific duties on the Responsible Person for multi-occupied residential buildings taller than 11 metres (roughly five storeys or more):
Best-endeavour checks of all fire doors in communal areas (corridors, stairwells, riser and plant-room doors) every three months.
Best-endeavour checks of every flat entrance door that opens onto a common part, at least once every 12 months.
In buildings under 11 metres, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 still applies: fire doors must be maintained in efficient working order, and the fire risk assessment will typically set the inspection frequency. In workplaces and commercial buildings, six-monthly inspection is widely recommended best practice (BS 8214 guidance).
A competent inspection looks at far more than whether the door closes. Typical checks include: certification or evidence of the door's fire rating; gaps between door leaf and frame (normally 2–4mm); condition of intumescent strips and smoke seals; hinges, closers and latches operating correctly; glazing and vision panels intact; and no unauthorised alterations such as planed edges, added vents or missing seals. Defects are recorded — with photos — and remedial work prioritised.
Routine quarterly and annual checks can be done in-house by someone trained to do them, but many landlords and managing agents appoint a third-party-certificated contractor so the results stand up in the building safety file and to the regulator. SparkTricity's surveyors and installers are BM TRADA Q-Mark and FIRAS certificated for fire door installation and maintenance, and every inspection is delivered with a photographic record you can lodge as evidence.
A failed door doesn't always mean replacement. Many defects — worn seals, dropped hinges, excessive gaps, faulty closers — can be corrected with certificated remedial work at a fraction of the cost of a new doorset. Where replacement is needed, we install certified FD30/FD60 doorsets and hand over the certification for your records.
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Guidance only, not legal advice. See the official Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 guidance for full duties.
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