Internal doors in a HMO

[Guest James]

Hi

I am about to purchase a 1 bed flat that is listed as a HMO (although its HMO status is based on "selective licensing").  The main benefit I see to it being an HMO is that it has good fire precaution measures in place.  All flats are owner-occupied and there are 8 flats in total in a regency conversion.  I am buying a flat on the first floor.  It has a lobby entrance as part of the HMO requirements and FD30 fire doors throughout (Main front door, Lounge/kitchen and Bedroom).  I want to refurb it and put some of the period features back, including georgian internal doors.  My question is if I upgrade the front door to an FD60 fire door, will that be acceptable to remove the internal FD30 doors?

Thanks in advance

James

[AnthonyB]

If it's licensed (& it sounds like it is a section 257 HMO* at least at the time of licensing) you need to go to the Local Authority EHO as regardless of what anyone on here says it's totally up to them - currently different Councils have different standards and interpretations of current guidance.

If it's fallen out of s257, which is likely as it's now all owner occupied, then it shouldn't be under the license anymore and your best source of advice is Local Authority Building Control as you are effectively making the premises more open plan which affects means of escape within the flat even if the common space is kept protected by the change in door.

 

*a building that is declared an HMO by the local authority. a converted block of flats where the standard of the conversion does not meet the relevant building standards and fewer than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied

[Guest James]

On 09/12/2021 at 19:57, AnthonyB said:

If it's licensed (& it sounds like it is a section 257 HMO* at least at the time of licensing) you need to go to the Local Authority EHO as regardless of what anyone on here says it's totally up to them - currently different Councils have different standards and interpretations of current guidance.

If it's fallen out of s257, which is likely as it's now all owner occupied, then it shouldn't be under the license anymore and your best source of advice is Local Authority Building Control as you are effectively making the premises more open plan which affects means of escape within the flat even if the common space is kept protected by the change in door.

 

*a building that is declared an HMO by the local authority. a converted block of flats where the standard of the conversion does not meet the relevant building standards and fewer than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied

Thanks for your sage advice.  I will definitely do that.