Tom Sutton

There should e more like you,cheers!

The Regulations apply only to manufacturers, importers and retailers, you and not buyers so if they wish to put there families at risk that is their right but they should be warned. Another problem is many believe the regulations are not fit for purpose and should be revised which has started but unfortunately the government is dragging their heels. Check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations guide 1 or Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations guide 2

I would say yes because if there is a fire in your flat and the front door is open or fail with in 30 mins, then other tenants trying to escape, would not be able to pass you front door to get to the staircase also windows sills need to be located 1.2 m above the balcony floor level. Depending on the width of the balcony and if tenants, above the ground floor, can turn left or right to get to a staircase, there could could be an exception to this rule.

This is a decision for the Responsible Person as defined by The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and if the transom windows are required to provide borrow light then they will need to be glazed with fire resistant glazing (FRG) if not they could be paneled over to a 30 mins fire resistant standard. It is not important how it is done as long as the opening including the walls and door meet a 30 mins fire resistant standard if that is required.

Appropriate furniture in the communal areas in sheltered accommodation would be subject to the fire risk assessment completed by the administration of the sheltered accommodation. If it has common areas, I would think it depends on who the Responsible Person is, and would be subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

I would consider wedging fire doors open is illegal but if the rear door is a final exit door and not a fire door, then wedging it open would be acceptable, however it could be a security risk.

Check out Rockwool Flexie page 5 at https://static.rockwool.com/globalassets/rockwool-uk/downloads/datasheets/floors/flexi-datasheet-web_141015.pdf and contact Rockwool to see what they think.

There is no such a thing as a fire safety certificate, it is more likely to be fire risk assessment (FRA). The common areas of flats are subject to the The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and it defines a Responsible Person (RP), which in your case would be the management company which are required to conduct a FRA. A occupant has no legal powers with regards to a FRA and it is the RP (management company) who has to conduct A FRA, considering the significant findings. The occupant could report their finding to the Fire and Rescue Service who may conduct an audit of your premises and you would need to act on any concerns of theirs.

This project is most likely to be subject to the building regulations approval and if the plans are not satisfactory they would have not approved them. It is likely that Approved Document B (fire Safety) volume 2: Premises other than Dwelling Houses would be used. So if you want to check out the plans, then compare it with this guide or speak to building control.

There is no big book of regulations other than The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which says, if necessary you should install a fire alarm. To achieve this to an acceptable standard, you need to use your acquired knowledge on fire safety, check out all the appropriate british standards and guides. If this is a single building with multiple units with isolation valves for each unit then I can understand why the Responsible Person would need to be informed that an isolation valve has been operated but I would think it is very unlikely that any isolations valves would be accessible to unit staff, so it would be under the control of the RP. It is important that the main valve is monitored with senses to trigger the main fire alarm panel on the situation of the sprinkler. All this information should be contained in the fire risk assessment.

Check out https://www.safelincs-forum.co.uk/topic/5637-fire-exit-to-be-closed/?tab=comments#comment-12036.

If it has been tested correctly then as far as I can remember if has to be fire resistant for both sides and could be satisfactory for your purposes, I would contact the manufacturer to obtain his advice. The height of the door will be dictated by the lintel and will limit the height you can raise the door which would only leave you one option buying bespoke fire doors, I cannot think of any other way.

Some final exit doors do have this facility but it is not compulsory.

An example of the documentation you should receive when you purchase a certified fire door, http://www.premdor.co.uk/pdf/download-centre/fire-certificates/certifire-cf-195-certificate-of-approval.pdf. If it is not a certified fire door then you could use the services of a fire door inspector.

In my opinion, until you submit plans to building control for your consider alterations to the garage is still a garage and you still need a FD30 door with a self closer and if you want to fit a cat /dog flap it needs to be enclosed in a fire resistant device like Fire Proof Cat Flap Protector - Envirograf 118 which does not need to control cold smoke, as this is not required by approved doc B. Check out https://hspfireprotection.co.uk/fire-protection-for-doors-joinery-glazing/1571-envirograf-product-fire-proof-cat-and-dog-flap-protector-for-exterior-and-connecting-doors-to-garages.html

Do they have other means of securing the door closed to prevent it opening without requiring a positive action to open it.

You can get bespoke fire doors and they use a blank and construct the fire door using it and using intumescent strip or paint will not solve your problem, it is only a possibility in very rare situations where there is no alternative available. Check out https://www.safelincs.co.uk/custom-30-and-60-minute-fire-doors-fd30-fd60/ it may help.

It is all about interpretation you call this construction a closet the BCO/AI most probably calls it an ancillary room with a fire risk and wants to protect the entrance hall. The entrance hall is your principle means of escape (MoE) and the window escapes are alternate MoE, to be used as a last resort. You can could work out your interpretation and argue you case to the BCO/AI , he may change his mind or you could make an official appeal but I would think the costs would not be worth it. The extra costs would not be very high and it would increase the fire safety of your flat for you and your family.

I am not aware of any regulations limiting fire spreading from windows up the building other than B4 /section 36 in BS 9999:2008 and that appears more concerned with the spread of fire from adjacent buildings. There is a few reports from the like of BRE who cover this aspect but involving spandrel panels is new to me, I think if I was you I would post on http://firenetforum.org.uk/ and spread your net.

Is it a protected route or is it an accommodation staircase.

I would think the doors would behave reasonable well in a fire situation, with the intumescent strips sealing the gaps and the passage of cold smoke controlled, but it is wrong according the the appropriate British Standard. It would all depend in which situations the gaps need to be considered, in an audit you could get away with it depending on the FRS inspecting Officer, in a court of law they would be quoting the British standard at you, though you only exceeded the tolerances by a very small amount, it all depends on the level of risk and consequences you are prepared to accept.

Depends on the layout, means of escape and the level of fire safety. For instance do you have to pass the kitchen entrance from any habitable rooms to get to the final exit from the cottage and what level of fire alarm do you have.

The Regulations apply only to the filling material of pillows, scatter cushions and pads of the type supplied for use on the seats of wooden chairs. Foam fillings must pass the specified test. When non-foam fillings are used either the filling material itself must pass the appropriate test or, if the item has primary cover, then the filling material together with that primary cover must pass the specified test. The Regulations do not apply to the decorative cover of scatter cushions and seat pads, or to covers for these items which are sold separately. If the regulations apply then it will have to have the required labels. Check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations guide 1 or Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations guide 2

This is not a fire safety problem, it is a legal problem and you should consult a property solicitor who will be able to help I am sure.

You need to speak to the insurance company and I am sure they will advise you.