Tom Sutton

I would suggest you surf the web for "air vents with anti draught excluder" and I came up with http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/anti-draft-vent.

Further to AB's reply another possible reason could be The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 article 14 requires escape route to be clear, which I suspect is to prevent obstructions or tripping hazards, which could be a serous situation in an evacuation. In this case the Responsible Person could have considered the doormats to be a tripping hazard and wants them removed, but in many cases this situation is risk assessed, also in most homes in the country have their doormats are behind the front door not outside.

A four storey and basement, dwelling house converted into flats and the Approved Document B states volume 2 should be used. The problem with this is volume 2 is for purpose built blocks of flats and a great deal of interpretation has to be used to apply it to Converted flats. However it is possible to find a solution that allows a single staircase to be used, providing FD30 to all habitable rooms and a FD30s door to the front door of flats, this would require the building control to accept the interpretation. Check out https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-approved-document-b vol 2 page 20, 2.20. I think HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing is a better solution, page 46 but Building Control would need to be convinced. I would suggest you need to speak to Building Control the Enforcement Authority to find out what they consider acceptable.

You need to include in your fire procedure the actions of the people having a break, instructing them, on the operation of the fire alarm, to proceed to the fire assembly point, consequently by the time the people in the building gets to the fire exit it should be clear.

The Approved Document B states the narrowest width would be 750mm but post war building studies looked at a single exit width being approx 525mm, so long as people can walk out single file comfortably (not having to turn sideways or anything) there would be very little difference (if any) between the evacuation times through a 750 door. IIRC correctly the old blue & primrose guides etc allowed 550mm widths in certain circumstances. (Small numbers of employees or something like that) I would say, considering the average size of people today compared with the late 40's I would accept the latest guidance 750mm but after a considered risk assessment I may accept 650mm.

Depends on where you are situated the County of Merseyside Act 1980 does stipulates 6m for cardboard from a building, with many other conditions, but only applies in Merseyside, you may have to check out your local acts.

You must access to your house although not vehicular and that is all the Fire and Rescue Service would need, they would simple park on the road and carry their equipment to your house but if you are concerned have a word with your local FRS.

How many floors and are are there more than four flats in the building.

I found a free copy of the 2007 edition don't know if that would be of any use, I believe the current edition is 2016. http://hamyarenergy.com/static/fckimages/files/NFPA/Hamyar Energy NFPA 80 - 2007.pdf

This is a UK site and we do not usually deal with North American standards and I would be surprised if anybody could help you, but you never know.

Further to AB reply check out The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 article 6 premises exempt and states, (e) an aircraft, locomotive or rolling stock, trailer or semitrailer used as a means of transport or a vehicle for which a licence is in force under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994[14] or a vehicle exempted from duty under that Act; but subject to the legislation AB said.

As the Responsible Person reviewed fire risk assessment and decided the emergency lighting needs modifying or is it just the opinion of the electrician. If it is the RP then you need to discuss it with the RP, if it is only the electrician then it sounds he/she is touting for business. There has been a revision of BS 5266.1 2016 but you do not need to upgrade to the latest standard unless necessary.

Hi Jason Keep us informed I would be interested on the outcome.

Ideally it should be sterile and any increased fire loading should be risk assessed but over the years it has been acceptable to allow low fire risk situations be allowed in protected areas. I have seen reception desks, unprotected tea rooms and automatic dispensing machines allowed so it appears it is up to the RP/ FR assessor to decide what is acceptable and what is not.

I agree with AB even better to take specialist legal advice this is not a straightforward situation and you need to provide a lot more information.

As you are considering a commercial premises, interlinked smoke alarms will not suffice as they are for domestic premises. (BS 5839 part 6) You need to consider a BS5839 part 1 system and I would suggest you would need at least a category M system and could be more depending on you Fire Risk Assessment.

You say the CQC class you a residential and if you mean residential care home then the premises is not a HMO it is clearly under the RR(FS)O and you have to define who the Responsible Person (RP) is. This person who has control of the premises will have a duty to implement articles 8 to 22 which includes testing and maintaining the fire alarm. I do not believe it is the Owner/Landlord it is more likely to be the Tenant/Sublet Landlord or the charity, who gives the orders. You should employ a fire risk assessor and discuss this situation face to face because he/she will need to know the full facts to give you a definitive answer.

The only certificate I am aware of is if a supplier claims a product is fire resistant the they should be able to provide a copy of a fire certificate from an approved testing station that the product will achieve what they claim. Get in touch with your supplier and ask for a copy of the certificate. Check out https://www.warringtoncertification.com/certifire/penetration-sealing/sealant.html

If you are replacing a fire door it should be done using the latest standards which in this case is fitting a certificated fire door set which are the doors and frame. Check out http://www.asdma.com/pdf/BPG.pdf

It's a risk assessment situation if you think there is a high risk of people escaping by that door could be forced into the road and hit by passing traffic, then you could need a barrier but the kerbside is not your property and it would be up to the local council, therefore you would have to convince them.

In my opinion there are two pieces of legislation that apply The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RR(FS)O) to the common parts and the Housing Act 2004 (HA) to the whole of the premises. Under the RR(FS)O you have to decide who the Responsible Person is, because it is he/she that has to implement articles 8 to 22 of the RR(FS)O which includes testing and maintenance of the fire alarm. The appropriate section of article 3 which defines the RP states (i) the person who has control of the premises (as occupier or otherwise) in connection with the carrying on by him of a trade, business or other undertaking (for profit or not); or (ii) the owner, where the person in control of the premises does not have control in connection with the carrying on by that person of a trade, business or other undertaking. My interpretation would be the person who has control of the premises, would be the tenant also has become a landlord by subletting the house. Therefore they would be responsible for testing and maintenance of the fire alarm, but it would all depend on tenant’s agreements and the contract you have with the local council who carries out the maintenance. Because it could be a HMO bedsit then the local council housing department who will inforce the HA will have their input and for more information about the Housing Act you should contact the local council housing department who may not use the above guidance. The two enforcement authorities Fire and Rescue Service and Local Council usually have agreements who take the lead in enforcement procedures in these situations. I would also suggest you talk to your solicitor for their advice. As for the fire alarm and as it sounds likely to be a HMO bedsit the relevant British Standard would be BS 5839 part 6 which is for domestic dwellings and if the houses are three floors, then a Grade A LD2 would be required and this equates with what you have, a BS 5839 part 1 L2 system. If it is not then you need to study HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing to decide the standard that is required.

It is you who should issue a hot work permit and include a statement stating "At least two suitable extinguishers or a hose reel are immediately available. Both the personnel undertaking the work and providing the fire watch are trained in their use." and within a 200m2 is not acceptable, it's you who have control. Check out http://safecontractor.com/getattachment/Services/Contractors/Guidance-notes/Hot-Work-Permit-Guidance-Note-SA-GN-19-(V1)-Jan-2014.pdf

Not necessarily it will depend on the adopted policy of the landlord, I would consider it a low fire risk and therefore not required to be protected by a fire resistant enclosure but it could cause an obstruction in the common area,m so I would speak to the landlord.

All dwellings are subject to the Housing Act but certain condition have to apply for them to be considered as HMO's and the local council will the arbiters of that. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/houses-in-multiple-occupation/

KGB - Assuming both tenants enter the property through the same door and then go to their bedsits, then there is common area and The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RR(FS)O) will apply. The new owner/landlord will be the Responsible Person and therefore required to implement the RR(FS)O, making him responsible for fire safety in the bungalow. Jason T - Without further information it is difficult to give a reasonable assessment, you need to give a better description of the properties are they houses or flats, number of floors, etc? How many non family persons will be living with each family and are the premises divided into the likes of bedsits or they living like a single family? Also is the local council acting as managing agents for the owners or are they the owners?