Do we need to act on Fire Risk Assessment?

[Guest Martin]

Hello,

I own a flat in a building comprising four flats.  We share the freehold between us, and there is a common area of stairs and landings.  We had a fire assessment done, two years ago. Do we need to act on its recommendations, which suggest installing fire doors for each flat (as they feed onto the common areas), and smoke alarms on each common area floor?  

[Tom Sutton]

I assume you have a management committee to sort out the maintenance of the common areas, well this committee should have acted upon the significant findings of the  fire risk assessment (FRA), as soon as the results were delivered to you. The purpose of the FRA is to identify any failings in the fire safety of the common areas and have them rectified as soon as possible.

Both the items you have mentioned are very important and should have been considered a top priority, also is shouldn't take two years to sort it out. Your luck has held out up to now but don't trust to luck anymore, if thing should go wrong, you could find yourselves in court with severe penalties or worse.

 

[AnthonyB]

You should get a refund as the FRA is not correct.

If purpose built flats you do not need smoke alarms in the common areas (and if for some reason, such as insufficient compartmentation they were indicated they wouldn't be suitable either).

Fire doors is a different matter - if the original notional fire doors from the flat build have been replaced then either you need new fire doors or a full fire detection & alarm system (not just smoke alarms) providing sufficient cover for full evacuation of the block.

Purpose built flats  guide: http://www.local.gov.uk/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=1138bf70-2e50-400c-bf81-9a3c4dbd6575

Conversions guide: http://www.rla.org.uk/docs/LACORSFSguideApril62009.PDF