Mike North

If there are 3 or more unrelated people then the property is a house of multiple occupancy, and the HMO regs come into force In the UK, the key regulations governing fire doors in HMOs include: The Housing Act 2004 The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 Local Authority HMO Licensing Conditions Building Regulations: Approved Document B

Fire-rated front doors are required in terraced housing under three specific circumstances: Flats or Apartments: If the terraced house has been converted into separate flats, any front door opening onto a shared communal corridor or internal stairwell must be a certified fire door (usually FD30S Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs): If the terraced property is rented out to three or more unrelated people who share facilities, it faces strict fire safety laws. The main entrance door and individual bedroom doors must be fire-rated. Mixed-Use Buildings: If the terraced property contains a shop, office, or commercial business on the ground floor with a residential home above it, a fire-rated door is required to separate the two zones. For a standard, single-family terraced home, there is no legal requirement for the external front door to be fire-rated, as it leads directly outside to safety rather than into an enclosed shared escape route. As for the 1.8m this requirement applies only when the external route is a designated escape route under Building Regulations — typically: a protected route serving multiple dwellings a route that forms part of a building’s formal means of escape a walkway or path that must remain tenable during evacuation It does not apply to: ordinary pavements shared front gardens the public street the gap between two neighbouring front doors in a terrace. The 1.0m rule — but it applies in very specific circumstances: It applies when: A building is being constructed, extended, or materially altered The wall in question is close to a relevant boundary The purpose is to prevent fire spread between buildings It does not apply when: Two existing houses already sit side‑by‑side in a terrace No building work is being done to the neighbouring house A fire risk assessor is simply reviewing an existing building The opening is not part of a new or altered wall under Building Regulations

Without looking at it myself This could go from. If the new unit is under the same occupant as the original, then as long as there is no fire load, I would note it and class it as tolerable. To If they aren’t under the same occupancy, the window should be rated as FD60 (as a minimum) You need to look at Part G Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency

Is the window an escape window, does it comply with ADB para 3.6? If yes then can the fencing be moved to create and escape corridor? Once the works are completed, will the new works continue to cause a problem?

The door needs to be fire rated. If the front door to your client’s property is stout and robust (a solid wood) they can usually be brought up to a nominal spec, you would need a specialist to advise if it could be done and if it would be cost effective. As for the next door, small spherical objects!

If the windows comply with ADB para 2.10, there is no requirement on a 2-story dwelling house for a protected escape route, therefore the doors don’t need to be fire doors. It would only be an issue if there were another floor. For a dwelling house, the maximum travel distance 18m from the furthest point in a bedroom to a protected exit or place of safety. You may need something doing to the window restrictors

Yes, see para 2.11 of ABD

Have you thought of a free swing door closer TS 5000 RFS 3-6 | GEZE

A storeroom does not necessarily need a fire door, it all depends on the flammability of what is so be stored in the room, cardboard and spare furniture I would not regard as a major risk as long as it is controlled and does not become a dumping ground. If the distribution board is in a fire rated enclosure, then there is no need to put it behind a further fire door. Use a camera to take a picture of the top of the door, it may be a fire door, just not set up as one as the cost of the doors are not that different. The major difference is the sealing and inspection.

The door could be an older type that does not require intumescent strips. it will have 1” door stops instead. But is sounds like it wants replacing The vent through the door is acceptable with an intumescent grille as long as the door is not a smoke door, if it is then you need a damper in the door connected to the fire alarm. What is more concerning is the cleanliness of the area, it sounds like there is a risk of spontaneous combustion of the discarded rags. Flammable liquids should be kept to a minimum in the work area, no more than that required for the current shift. See the attached Storage of flammable liquids in process areas, workrooms, laboratories and similar working areas - HSE

If it has been installed correctly, there is nothing wrong with using fire rated plasterboard to repair (any plasterboard patch repair in a fire-rated wall or ceiling must fully restore the original level of fire resistance). It would make sense however to use something like Intumescent Pillows - FireSealsDirect on cable trays as it will make maintenance easier should they need more cables run.

If the window is located in a protected stairwell, it should be fixed shut and achieve a fire resistance rating at least equal to that of the wall in which it is installed.

The importance of wayfinding signage is not for the occupants but the fire brigade who will be entering a smoke-filled building possibly in the dark. They cost pennies

The current thoughts are that the probability of an ICE fire is 1,500 fires per 100,000 vehicles, for EV’s 25 fires per 100,000 vehicles. The issue is that when an ICE car is involved in a fire there is limited fuel and a lower temperature 800 to 1000 C for an EV up to 1200 C. 02.3 Key findings | EV Fire Safe

Yes and no. If its running maintenance such as replacement seals, minor gap adjustments, like for like replacement of door furniture etc then yes. Anything else should be assessed, don’t forget that a temporary repair is better than leaving a defective door whilst waiting for a replacement.