Removing Fire doors and walls

[Guest Sergiu]

I work as a sole trader and now as a contractor, in London, for the past nearly 6 years.
Along time I have met many clients who wanted fire doors removed, walls removed (between the kitchen and the fire exit route). On the first jobs I didn't know that it is not right to do that.
Now, I'm always asking them for a surveyor's or a building control report to state that it is allowed to do that. In most of the cases I loose the whole job on the argument that they won't do the job for the time being. I know that they are just going to get someone else who accepts without questions.
Having said this, I have the following questions:
1. Am I being wrong in doing this. If not, what can I say/do in order to prevent the customer from taking this bad decision?
2. Is it possible to become accredited to do surveys and how?

Thanks

[Tom Sutton]

Removing fire doors and/or walls between the kitchen and the fire exit route is a material alteration, it requires building regulation approval. If you choose to do it without approval, then you are committing an offence and so is any person who does. If they refuse to listen and are prepared to be prosecuted then there is not much you can do, other than inform building control.

A building control inspector/authorised inspector is a profession in its own right and I am not certain what qualification you require to be considered.