Fire Safety Regulations for High-Rise Flats in the UK 

Fire Safety Regulations for Flats, explained: 

The central body of fire safety regulations in flats will be the Fire Safety Order 2005 (Regulatory Reform Order), which is in the process of being amended through the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. The new regulations are set to come into force on the 23rd January 2023 and will implement a variety of recommended changes from the independent Grenfell Tower Inquiry, to rectify some of the key failures that led to the disaster.  

The new regulations will make it a requirement for the Responsible Person of residential buildings over 11 metres in height to; 

• Undertake annual checks on flat entrance fire doors 
• Undertake quarterly checks on all fire doors in communal parts  

It is the responsibility of the Responsible Person to adhere to these requirements and keep a thorough record of maintenance checks, whilst ensuring they report any faults.  

How to Carry Out Inspections: 

When checking flat entrance and communal fire doors, it is important to ensure that; 

• The doors are effectively self-closing. The doors should fully close into their frames when the doors are opened at any angle and released.  

• The doors, door frames and glazing are checked for damage  
• Intumescent strips and smoke seals are undamaged 

It is not intended that these checks should involve any more detailed, technical examination of the doors, or of the original standard of installation. Nor is it intended for the checks to be carried out by specialists. The checks are intended for the Responsible Person and their staff who should have knowledge of the inspection process.  

When inspections made by the Responsible Person identify the need for repair or replacement of any fire door, the works must be undertaken by a competent contractor as soon as reasonably practicable. 

Providing Residents with the Correct Information:  

Under the new regulations, the Responsible Person is also required to provide residents with information about fire safety, with specific focus on providing information about the importance of fire doors. In multi-occupied residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises, the Responsible Person is required to; 

• Provide relevant fire safety instructions to their residents, including instructions on how to report a fire and any other instructions which sets out what a resident must do once a fire has occurred. 

• Provide residents with information relating to the importance of fire doors in fire safety.   

Who is the Responsible Person? 

Responsible Persons are the person responsible for the safety of themselves and others who use a regulated premises. They are usually the building owner or any other person in control of the premises. The Responsible Person is the person whom most of the duties set out in the new fire safety regulations under the Fire Safety Order are imposed.  

It is important that this information is clear and understood by those responsible for residential high-rise and multi-occupied buildings. The new regulations are an effort to improve fire safety within buildings to prevent a disaster like Grenfell happening again. For more information about the new regulations, visit the Government website.