Fire door requirements for ground floor flats

[Guest Steph]

Are fire doors required for the entrance of ground floor flats if the the flats do not have a staircase and therefore do not share a common area with the flats above. We have two ground floor flats, both of which have patio doors leading to the garden. They are the only flats that share the common entrance as the flats above have a separate communal entrance and staircase. The flats were built in the 1980s.

[AnthonyB]

Possibly not - if they were built in the 80's then they would have fire doors as the original doors if required.

[Guest Steph]

Thank you. They have notional fire doors. There are concealed door closers and rebates though it doesn't seem strip were ever fitted in the rebates. Would these doors have to meet current requirements of intumescent strips and smoke seals if there is another means of escape?

[StuartCooke]

Hi.  My flat entrance is on the ground floor, maisonette.  The flat itself is upstairs on the first/top floor.  The front door opens to an external walkway.  You can go in either direction to exit the property and grounds of the block of flats.  Do I have to replace my door with an FD30 fire door?  

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

From what you have said here, I would say the door does not need to be a fire door.  The door opens onto an outside area so risk to other building users is virtually nil. However, in some such cases the door may still need to be self-closing fire door with smoke control where there is risk to life because an another property or walkway is located near to or directly above the door. 

Furthermore, the fact that behind your door is just a staircase (going upwards) lessens the risk to life safety for others considerably.  

[StuartCooke]

On 22/11/2024 at 10:59, Neil Ashdown MAFDI said:

From what you have said here, I would say the door does not need to be a fire door.  The door opens onto an outside area so risk to other building users is virtually nil. However, in some such cases the door may still need to be self-closing fire door with smoke control where there is risk to life because an another property or walkway is located near to or directly above the door. 

Furthermore, the fact that behind your door is just a staircase (going upwards) lessens the risk to life safety for others considerably.  

That's very helpful. Thanks