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Fire Doors are an essential element of fire safety in various types of buildings and facilities. Not only are they legally required in many settings, but they are also vital in creating an engineered barrier that can protect occupants from heightened risks and delay widespread property damage.

Absolute Property Surveys offer a comprehensive range of fire door services, including:

• Installation
• Maintenance
• Testing & Servicing
• Inspections

If you manage or own a property with installed fire doors, arranging your fire door inspection appointment before you do could save you time, stress, and money by helping you understand how fire doors should be maintained and how to pass your inspection.

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require all fire doors to be kept in good working order. This means that fire doors should be kept in a condition where no defects are materially undermining the ability of the doors to adequately prevent the spread of smoke and fire within the property.

On a day-to-day basis, Regulation 10 requires that residents be given information that:

• fire doors should be kept shut when not in use;
• residents or their guests should not tamper with self-closing devices;
• residents should report any fault or damage immediately to the Responsible Person.

Who is responsible for fire door maintenance?

In England, fire door maintenance is the responsibility of the ‘Responsible Person’. In most buildings, this is usually the building owner, landlord, employer, managing agent, facilities manager, or anyone with control over the premises.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the ‘Responsible Person’ must make sure fire doors are kept in good working order and remain suitable for protecting people in the event of a fire. This will include arranging regular checks, dealing with faults, keeping records, and ensuring any repairs are completed properly and by a certified professional.

For residential buildings in England with two or more domestic premises and common areas, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 also place specific duties on the ‘Responsible Person’.

At Absolute Property Surveys, we provide fire door installation, maintenance and inspections for residential, commercial and industrial properties.

England fire door maintenance regulations

In England, fire door maintenance is covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and, for relevant residential buildings, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.

For blocks of flats over 11 meters in height, the ‘Responsible Person’ must use best endeavors to check flat entrance fire doors at least every 12 months and carry out checks of communal fire doors every 3 months. Government guidance confirms these duties apply to ‘Responsible Persons’, including building owners and managing agents.

These checks are designed to make sure fire doors continue to perform as intended. A damaged, poorly fitted, or incorrectly maintained fire door may not hold back fire and smoke, which can put residents, staff, visitors, and the wider building at risk.

Absolute Property Surveys can support you with clear, practical fire door inspections to help you understand the condition of your doors, identify issues, and take the right next steps.

What does a fire door inspection check?

A fire door inspection checks whether the full door set is in a suitable condition and able to perform its role in a fire. This is not just about the door itself. It includes the frame, seals, gaps, ironmongery, glazing, signage, and closing mechanisms.

A typical fire door inspection will check:

• Whether the door closes fully and securely
• The condition of the door leaf and frame
• Gaps around the door
• Intumescent and smoke seals
• Hinges, handles, locks, latches, and other metal work
• Self-closing devices
• Fire-rated glazing and vision panels
• Fire door signage
• Damage, warping, holes, or unauthorised alterations
• Whether the door is being obstructed or wedged open

Absolute Property Surveys provides professional fire door inspections, surveys, maintenance guidance and installation support to help residential and commercial property owners understand their responsibilities and maintain safer, compliant buildings.