Tom Sutton

The landlord has to provide smoke alarm also CO detectors in each flat, check out The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015. When you move into the flat the landlord should test them after that it is up to the tenant. Keeping your smoke alarms in good working order protects you and your family against fire. By pressing the test button on your alarm, you can check if the battery in your smoke alarm is still charged and find out if your alarm is ready and working. However, it is just too easy to forget this crucial test. Safelincs can offer to help you by reminding you via email, and at your chosen frequency, to test your smoke alarm regularly. http://www.safelincs.co.uk/Smoke-Alarm-Reminders Maintaining your smoke alarm To keep your smoke alarm in good working order, you should: test it once a month, by pressing the test button until the alarm sounds change the battery once a year (unless it's a ten-year alarm) the landlord should replace the whole unit every ten years clean your smoke alarm once every three months using the soft brush of your vacuum cleaner. This will ensure you remove any excess dust or insects.

Have try substitution, try using the ionisation in place of the optical and see if that is ok. If it is ok then it looks like you have a faulty detector, if not then there may be a fault on the installation? To be certain you need to do more than one substitution.

Search the web for "location of CO detector" get an overview of the subject, like http://www.carbonmonoxidedetectorplacement.com/uk/ then purchase your CO detectors and install them according to the manufacturers instructions. Remember they are designed to warn people in the room they are installed and CO is lightly to be warm, slightly lighter than air, so the CO will rise not fall consequently I would think the electricians advice is suspect.

You will find guidance in approved document M and K and have you considered wheelchair uses, also risers have a maximum height of 150mm. Check out https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/approved-documents https://www.planningni.gov.uk/index/policy/supplementary_guidance/dcans/dcan11_draft/dcan11_draft_design/dcan11_draft_accessb.htm

I would think so if it is a converted block of flats, but to be certain you should contact the local housing authority and obtain their advice but you could check out section 257 of The Housing Act 2004 for background information.

DCLC guide "Residential care premises" state "Doors (including access hatches to cupboards, ducts and vertical shafts linking floors) walls, floors and ceilings protecting escape routes should be capable of resisting the passage of smoke and fire for long enough so that people can escape from the building. Which means FD30s should be fitted to cupboards on escape routes, but self closer need not be fitted they can be locked closed when not in use and must be fitted with an appropriate sign. Check out https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-residential-care-premises.

From what you have described it looks like you will be subject to the buildings regulations and fire safety is covered by Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 1: Dwellinghouses, you need to speak to building control. Your proposals, providing the ensuite conforms to ADB you will not have worsened the means of escape so I think you will not need to carry out any work on the fire doors other than to ensure they are substantial well fitted and maintained. In accordance with ADB all the fire doors need to be FD20 doors, not fitted with a self closer and if you have a door between the house and an integrated garage it needs to be a FD30s fitted with a self closer, also fitting intumescent seals will improve the situation. The building control is the enforcing authority and it is up to them to decide how far you need to go. This guidance document may help FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing.

I think they mean fix the hardwood lipping glued and screwed to the door not the floor. The gaps between the fire door leaf and the frame should be 3mm +/- 1mm.

BS EN 1935:2002 Building hardware. Single-axis hinges. Requirements and test methods, appendix E deals with hinges used on fire doors with self closers, which state self closer increase the loading on hinges therefore three hinges should be fitted. Because now, front fire doors of flats are fitted with self closers, which has not always been the case, they should be fitted with three hinges. In the 1960,s access to flats was by means of open walkways and local councils used a concept of fire safety called smoke dispersion. Later on, access was enclosed but they kept the smoke dispersal concept and did research to keep escape routes clear of smoke logging and provided 1 sq m of natural ventilation in each corridor allowing all front doors to be ajar, so front doors were not fitted with self closers, consequently two hinges were allowed. In 2005 the fire service became the enforcing authority and the guidance became a hybrid of smoke dispersal and containment which resulted in front doors requiring self closers which now required tree hinges. However it is all about risk assessment and there is no hard and fast rules.

For fire exits, the width is the most important factor, and this is determined by the number of people who are likely to be using a particular exit. Current Building Regulations (Fire Safety, Approved Document B, 2010) specify a minimum width of 750mm for a final exit door, to accommodate a maximum of 60 people. As a matter of interest, the minimum standard dimensions for a fire escape window (as opposed to a door) are 660mm by 1180mm. If it is subject to the building regulations then Approved Document B Vol 2 Building other than dwelling houses then check out page 37. It states for 60 or less persons, 750mm width, normal door height, with some provisos. However in an existing premises risk assessment applies and it depends on the number of persons, the speed of exit required, the agility of those involved and a full assessment of the risk. For instance if it is for a couple of service engineers working in a plant room it could be acceptable but for an office full of office workers not acceptable. It is up to the Responsible Person's FRA.

Keep us informed.

Who is responsible for maintaining the alarms? In basic terms, landlords must ensure that alarms are provided and working, but routine maintenance and testing then falls to the occupants of the property. Should the alarms develop a fault or expire during a tenancy it remains the responsibility of a landlord to replace them. The legislation states that a landlord must make certain that: "checks are made by or on behalf of the landlord to ensure that each prescribed alarm is in proper working order on the day the tenancy begins if it is a new tenancy" Once the alarms have been established as working, whether a new tenancy or a tenancy overlapping the introduction of the legislation, many landlords ask tenants to sign a document confirming that alarms have been tested in their presence. This can also be used to clarify for the benefit of the tenants that the duty of maintenance falls to them from that point forwards. Check out https://www.safelincs.co.uk/landlord-smoke-and-co-alarm-regulations-2015/

I cannot give a definitive reply with out a lot more information, but from what you say I would think he could have worsened the means of escape which would be classed as a material alteration and therefore require build regulation approval. Contact local building control with your concerns. Check out Approved Document B (fire Safety) volume 2: Premises other than Dwelling Houses.

This could have been a matter of interpretation, I would think all door manufacturers have their fire doors tested to BS 476 part 22 and part 31, so if you you fit cold smoke seals, to manufacturer's instructions, it is a FD30s fire door, without they are FD30 door, but it is up the FRA weather you use FD30 or FD30s doors.

No it is not this is a general fire notice for immediate evacuation, check out https://www.safetyplus.co.uk/ProductGrp/1438-fire-action-notice-stay-put-for-flats or surf the web using "stay put fire notice".

Fitting a door closer would not help and be counterproductive it appears the door needs to be maintained I am sure a good joiner could resolve the problem.

Reading your description I would think it meets the requirements of 5.44 of ADB but before giving a definitive reply I would need to see a detailed drawing. Has it been thrown back by building control and if so, for what reasons. I do not think they are, providing smoke from any fire in the basement does not affect means of escape from upper floors.

Whether you have one or two entrances make no difference to requiring a fire alarm in the common parts of the flats if there is commercial premises below and the guidance is Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats. Check out appendix 6.28 The Responsible Person is the owner or owners of the building see article 3 of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Providing it is a limited number of hung paintings I cannot see any major problems but you will need the permission of the Responsible Person (the owner or management company).

BS EN 1125:2008 Building hardware. Panic exit devices operated by a horizontal bar, for use on escape routes, is the standard for final exit doors that use panic bars. BS EN 179:2008 Building hardware. Emergency exit devices operated by a lever handle or push pad, for use on escape routes. Is the standard for lever handle or push pads. You should find the release forces recommended for each device, so it depends how the exit door is secured.

YES. need to be FD30s fire doors with S/C.

Because the council is, it doesnt mean a thing, unless they are your landlord and they control your lease.

It is unlikely to be a HMO but subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 especially as a FRA is involved and the enforcing authority is the local fire and rescue service, contact them.

A fire risk assessor would look a this situation and ask the question if this door is not a fire door would any other persons in the buildings be put at risk if a fire immersed from that door. From what you have said, including the image, it appears nobody would be, my only concern is the location of the staircase and could that be threatened.

Who is asking you, if it is the Building Control or other Enforcement Officer then you need to ask them, because if it is a BCO or other EO then you will not get approval. If you are fitting a new FD30 door then I would think you need to fit a fire door set which is the door and frame and upgrading is a last resort.