Tom Sutton

I fully agree with Neil but here is a few links that may help. https://www.firedoorscomplete.com/ https://www.nptcgroup.ac.uk/courses/installation-fire-resisting-timber-doors/ https://www.asdma.com/knowledge-centre.

To me this seems over the top and the only national guidance would be HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing which has been accepted by most authorities.

I guessed that and my advice for the ground floor flat remains the same, for your maisonette it is slightly different because you have hatitual rooms on the third floor. Check out HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing.

The times of occupation you stated then it is likely that EL is required because in winter it will be dark by 4.00 pm and assuming the EL system was installed correctly which only could be checked by physical inspection, consequently any defective units needs repairing or replacing.

What I said is correct for open air gallery (balcony) and down to a open staircase because all tenement buildings in our large conurbations were designed on a principle of smoke dissipation. This meant FD30s where not necessary required but FD30 doors where usually fitted and as many of these blocks are now being fitted with glazing so FD30s fire doors are now required. As you have said you have a communal enclosed external landing with a stairway that leads downstairs and outside, so you need a FD30s front door that leads to the communal area.

I am trying to understand the lay out of you premises and unless the roof space has been turned into habitable rooms it doesn't make sense consequently I cannot give a definitive response. Modern guidance states all two storey premises only require one means of escape providing they have openable escape windows, and that could be the reason why the door that would of connected lounge to corridor had been sealed.

Check out https://www.xact.org.uk/userfiles/downloads/sys/FIRAS.pdf this may help.

You need to fully understand about fire doors and one answer is to follow Neils advice at https://www.safelincs-forum.co.uk/topic/4122-what-certification-is-needed-to-be-allowed-to-install-fire-doors/?do=findComment&comment=13249 or consider self study using Best Practice Guide to Timber Fire Doors with all the additional guidance literture at https://www.asdma.com/knowledge-centre/.

This is a legal matter and for definitive advice you should seek the opinions of a specialist solicitor on property/fire safety matters. However my understanding would be the premises (Building) is subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) and article 3, defines you as a joint Responsible Person. (RP) You and the other RP's are responsible for administering the FSO and you and the other owners should decide how it will be paid for, like if the the roof develops a leak or problems with the fabric of the building, who pays?

You are the Responsible Person (RP) under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and subject to articles 8 t0 22 but it is not totally a fire safety matter it is a legal matter and would depend on the contents of your tenants agreement you should check it out with your solicitor to find out what the landlord is responsible for.

It may be acceptable or not acceptable and it should be subject to a detailed fire risk assessment by a competent person with solutions to the situation. To understand what is required check out https://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-risk-assessment/ and also checkout the means of escape section in https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-offices-and-shops which should give you some ideas what is required.

If the premises is self-contained flats then they are not an HMO but if you would like more information check out A house in multiple occupation (HMO) is a property rented out by at least 3 people who are not from 1 ‘household’ (for example a family) but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen. However you are subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the guidance would be HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing. The guidance will require installing a grade D smoke alarm which is a system of one or more mains-powered smoke alarms, each with an integral standby supply. So in my opinion this would mean you should arrange for a landlord's electric supply to be installed and comply with the guidance. Installing an interlinked fire alarm system with two smoke alarms in the communal area interlinked to a heat alarm fitted in each of the three flats that share the communal entrance using your own supply could be acceptable.

I would suggest you have it moved, even if it costs, and if find out who the culprit is, then present them with the bill, because if there was a fire it is you who would be considered responsible in not keeping your means escape fully available.

Scotland has its own fire safety legislation, building regulations and guides; despite that complication, you are asking for a fire risk assessment to deal with disabled persons and that would be impossible to conduct without a physical inspection or at least detailed plans showing escape route travel distances also any fire resistant construction. I would suggest you speak to the fire risk assessor that completed your initial FRA and ask him/her their opinions on your proposals. You also need to understand the terminology check out https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Justice/policies/police-fire-rescue/fire/FireLaw and http://www.firesafetyfirst.co.uk/publications/Scotland - The Evacuation of Disabled Persons from Buildings.pdf

FRFree are you saying if your employ a plumber in your house or you convert the back room into a office, it becomes a workplace, which I equate to the situation above, the principle use of the premiese still remains a domestic property.

Neil assuming the floor is not level and you if you fit a threshold plate to the floor would this not create a tripping hazard or could you make a bespoke one out of hardwood with a chamfer on each side?

Check out https://www.safelincs-forum.co.uk/topic/5637-fire-exit-to-be-closed/?tab=comments#comment-12036. Yours is the reverse of this situation and in your case get your solicitor to send a letter to next door telling them you are going to block off the second exit and give them reasonable time to make alternative arrangements then block it off, check this with your solicitor first. Your solicitor should deal with the situation and advise you accordingly.

I am assuming smoke alarms are fitted therefore no smoke seals because the smoke alarms require smoke leakage from the room of origin, to activate. As evacuation from a domestic premises is more likely to be in the cold smoke stage then intumescent strips will not be necessary for life safety but more for property protection which may be worth considering.

It depends on what is meant by drop seal, if it is drop down smoke seal that should solve the problem. Check out https://www.safelincs.co.uk/surface-mounted-drop-down-smoke-seal/.

I am not aware of any such guidance but the current guidance is clear Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats, if a new door has to be fitted it must be FD30s fire door to the current standards and fitted with an approved self closer. If an existing front door is a well fitting, of substantial construction with an approved self closer then it can be accepted also I would require all door furniture meets the current standards. Consequently I would think to replace individual doors as necessary depending on door inspections.

The front door is subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and needs to be a FD30s fire door with an approved self closer fitted, when installing a new front door. The inside of the flat is subject to The Housing Act 2004 and may be subject to the Building Regulations, consequently most internal doors are FD20 Fire Doors or well fitting substantial standard doors with no self closers. There may be situations where a a FD30 fire door is required for a kitchen depending on layout.

It is impossible to give you an answer with the details you have provided, it could be acceptable on the other hand it may not be acceptable. I would need the answers to many more questions, like the layout, travel distances and others, so I would suggest you employ the services of a fire safety consultant to look at your proposals.

The beeping noise is used to alert you to unsafe CO levels. It is usually in the form of 4 beeps, a pause, then 4 more beeps. This pattern is repeated continuously until the CO level drops or until you press the “mute” button. So this would indicate it detected CO, but as it cleared after your actions, I would imagine that an unsafe level of CO did not remain and a spike had activated the detector which is now cleared. What I would do is monitor the detector and if any of your actions repeat the situation take appropriate actions to prevent the spike. If you have any doubts contact the gas board and seek their advice.

Without knowing the layout of the premises and the fire action plan you cannot give a reasonable answer.

Is regulations necessary, it is pretty obvious to me it should be securely fitted as common sense would dictate.