Fire doors are an important part of keeping people safe in blocks of flats and other shared residential buildings. They help slow the spread of fire and smoke, protect escape routes, and support residents and firefighters during an emergency.
Fire doors need to be suitable, well maintained, and capable of closing fully into the frame. This does not always mean that existing doors must be replaced with new doors built to current new-build standards.
Government guidance explains that, in many cases, a flat entrance door that met the standard when the building was built, or when the door was installed, may remain adequate provided it is in good condition, fits correctly within its frame, and closes effectively. The absence of intumescent strips, smoke seals or certification does not, by itself, mean that a door is unsuitable.
Definition of fire door types
These are doors located within the shared parts of the building, such as:
- Stairwells
- Corridors
- Lobbies
- Service risers
- Plant or service rooms
Their primary function is to:
- Protect escape routes (e.g. stairways and corridors) from fire and smoke spread
- Support the building’s compartmentation strategy
- Assist firefighting operations by maintaining tenable conditions in key areas
These are doors that form the boundary between an individual flat (private dwelling) and the common parts of the building (such as corridors or stairways). Their primary function is to:
- Protect the means of escape for other residents by containing fire within the flat of origin
- Provide a level of protection to occupants within the flat from fire and smoke in the common areas
While both types of doors are critical to life safety, they serve different roles within the building’s fire strategy and may be subject to different inspection regimes and considerations.
Fire door signage
Fire door signage provides clear instruction on how a fire door should be used in normal conditions to ensure it performs correctly in the event of a fire. Signage should be simple, visible, and appropriate to the function of the door.
- Signage should be clearly visible on or near the door
- Wording should be unambiguous and consistent across the building
- Signage should align with the fire risk assessment and door function
- Over-signage should be avoided where it adds no value or causes confusion
The two most common types of fire door signage are:
These doors are designed to remain closed at all times to prevent the spread of fire and smoke. In most cases, these doors will be fitted with a self-closing device to ensure they return to the closed position after use.
These doors are intended to remain closed and secured when not in use to:
- Restrict access to authorised persons only
- Reduce the risk of fire starting or spreading from these areas
Unlike “keep shut” doors, these doors are not typically fitted with self-closing devices, as they are not intended for regular use or passage.
This sign is typically used on:
- Service riser cupboards
- Plant rooms
- Electrical intake rooms
- Other ancillary or high-risk areas
Fire Door Components and Escape Safety Features
Fire doors play a critical role in protecting residents and maintaining safe escape routes during an emergency. Key components such as vision panels, access control systems, and emergency escape door furniture must be correctly specified, installed, and maintained to ensure they perform as intended.
- Vision panels (glazed panels)
- Access control and “push to exit” systems
- Emergency escape door furniture
Vision panels are sections of fire-resisting glazing installed within a fire door. The glazing should be fire-resisting and appropriately rated for the door and the glazing systems (glass, beads, seals) should be intact and undamaged
Any retrofitted glazing should be assessed by a competent person, as poor installation can compromise performance.
Some communal fire doors may be fitted with electronic access control, including:
- Key fob or card entry systems
- Green door release buttons (commonly labelled “push to exit”)
These systems are acceptable where they are designed so that means of escape is not compromised. Doors on escape routes with access control should:
- Always allow free and immediate egress without the use of a key, code, or fob
- Release automatically in the event of fire (e.g. linked to the fire alarm where appropriate)
- Fail to a safe condition (i.e. unlock) in the event of power failure, where required by the fire strategy
Emergency fire exit doors on escape routes must be fitted with suitable hardware that allows occupants to open the door easily and without delay in an emergency. This may include:
- Lever handles
- Push pads
- Panic bars
Residents should not need prior knowledge or special training to operate the door. Any security measures must be balanced against the need for imme
What Responsible Persons should do
Responsible Persons (for example, building owners, freeholders and managing agents) must ensure that suitable and sufficient fire precautions are in place in accordance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
This should include a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment (Article 9). The assessment should determine whether existing fire doors are adequate for the building and whether any repair, improvement or replacement is needed.
Where work is required, it should be proportionate to the risk. Where a door is in good condition, fits correctly and closes fully, repair or adjustment may be sufficient. Full replacement should normally be reserved for doors that are damaged, altered, poorly fitting, unable to close properly, or otherwise assessed as inadequate.
In residential buildings, fire safety measures often need to work alongside security features. While both are important, life safety must take precedence in the event of a fire.
Responsible Persons should ensure that:
- Security measures do not delay or prevent escape
- Fire doors remain effective, operable, and appropriately controlled
- Any changes to doors, glazing, or locking systems are assessed as part of the fire risk assessment
Fire safety work should be based on risk, evidence, and competent advice. Responsible Persons should be cautious about recommendations that require widespread replacement of doors without clear justification.
Before agreeing significant works, Responsible Persons should consider:
- Whether the work is required by the fire risk assessment
- Whether repair or adjustment would adequately address the issue
- Whether the recommendation is aligned with current government guidance
- Whether the person giving advice is competent for the task
- Whether more than one quote has been obtained
Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service is unable to recommend or approve individual contractors, publish agreed prices, or endorse specific companies. This protects our impartiality as the enforcing authority.
Where repair or replacement work is required, it should be carried out by someone competent. Responsible Persons should seek evidence of competence, including:
- Relevant qualifications
- Experience
- Third-party certification (where applicable)
- The standard or specification the contractor intends to work to
A competent contractor should be able to clearly explain why work is needed and why the proposed solution is proportionate to the risk.
For blocks of flats where the top storey is more than 11 metres above ground level, Responsible Persons must use best endeavours to:
- Check flat entrance doors at least every 12 months
- Check fire doors in communal areas at least every 3 months
In practice, “best endeavours” means taking reasonable steps to gain access and keeping a simple record of attempts and outcomes (for example, dates of letters/emails, appointments offered, and whether access was provided).
These routine checks are intended to be simple visual checks only. Government guidance states that a specialist should not normally be needed to carry them out. With appropriate instruction, caretakers, managing agents, housing officers and maintenance staff should usually be able to complete them. If there is any doubt about a door’s condition or performance, advice should be sought from a competent person.
These checks are not intended to assess the inherent fire resistance of the door. Suitability is determined through the fire risk assessment.
Checks should include whether the door:
- Opens and closes properly
- Fully closes into the frame from any angle
- Has no obvious damage to the door, frame, hinges, glazing, or ironmongery
- Has gaps that are not excessive (as a rule of thumb, around 3–4mm at the sides and top)
- Has working self-closing devices where required
- Has any seals or strips, if present, in reasonable condition
- Has not been replaced or altered in a way that could affect fire resistance
Information for residents
Residents also have an important role. Responsible Persons must provide residents with information explaining that:
- Fire doors should be kept shut
- Self-closing devices should not be tampered with or removed
- Self-closing doors should not be obstructed or wedged open
- Damage or faults should be reported promptly
Residents should not change or alter their flat entrance door without the knowledge and agreement of the Responsible Person, as changes may affect the fire risk assessment for the building.
Need further advice?
Government guidance has been updated to address concerns that some leaseholders and residents have been advised to replace fire doors unnecessarily, leading to avoidable costs.
The key principle is that existing doors are not required to meet current new-build standards where they remain adequate for the level of risk.
If you are unsure whether work is necessary, refer to your fire risk assessment and seek competent, proportionate advice.