Mx

[Guest AnnW]

I live in Housing Association property. I'm one of six shared owners in a small three story block of self contained two bedroom flats. We've emergency lighting and a fire alarm to the common areas and previously also had fire extinguishers in this area. There has always been a stay put guideline in the event of fire. The entrance doors to the individual flats are probably not good fire doors as I can see daylight clearly through one of them. Many of the smoke detectors in the flats don't work as they are very poorly fitting and it's impossible to open them to replace the batteries so many of us have our own for safety reasons.

Recently a fire risk assessment was carried out. We have not been given a copy of the risk assessment, and the housing manager has previously not answered emails. They have now removed the fire extinguishers. We've also heard informally that they intend to fit smoke detectors in every room of the flats.

Five questions I'm afraid. 1. Do I have a legal right to see the risk assessment? 2. Should they have taken the fire extinguishers after having seen how poorly fitting the fire doors are? 3. Should they be fitting new front doors to all the flats, and how urgent should this work be? 4. Am I correct in saying that there should be one smoke/heat detector for every floor of a home, not the proposed one for every room? 5. Do I have any way to challenge this over the top proposal?

Thanks.

[AnthonyB]

1. Not necessarily

2. Yes, you should be getting out not messing around with extinguishers that you are untrained in and aren't suited for the risks in your home. (A fire blanket in your kitchen is better as long as it is BS Kitemarked and not the £4 Chinese stuff on eBay/Amazon that are counterfeit & don't work)

3. If not in good order yes. Whilst the guidance allows for smaller old blocks of flats to retain original fire doors that's only on the basis that they were compliant fire doors originally by the standard of the day and that they are in good condition - yours sound not to  be.

4. Standards have changed, especially for HA's so higher cover is increasingly required. Also if they are deeming the premises as being full evacuate they would need wider coverage from the common system - you don't make clear if the detectors being fitted are domestic or an extension to the common one.

5. Depends on your lease terms