Do I need a fire door?

[Guest Sandy Taylor]

Hi,

I live in a ground floor of purpose built flats which is one of 4 (2 ground & 2 upstairs). The other flats have upvc front doors. My front door is the original one from when the flats were built in the 60's and is in desperate need of replacing. However, the management company tell me that I have to have a 30 minute fire door. As I live on the ground floor and given that no one else have fire doors, is this the case?

Is there a particular professional that I can contact to assess the situation? 

Thanking you for your help

[AnthonyB]

They should all be fire doors including the other flats. The Management Company should be enforcing this to everyone, not just you. 

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

The flat entrance doors should be FD30s fire doors as they open onto common areas.They should give protection against fire and smoke spread from inside the flat to the common areas, in a fire. The common areas must be protected against fire and smoke spread so that people may safely escape in a fire. In some cases (with flats) there may be a stay-put policy in which case the flat entrance door should provide protection until such time as the fire can be dealt with and/or the person(s) evacuated.

Check out the local government publication 'Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks of Flats' http://www.local.gov.uk/fire-safety-purpose-built-flats and LACORS guidance for fire safety in flats https://www.rla.org.uk/docs/LACORSFSguideApril62009.PDF

You could also contact your local Fire and Rescue service for advice or contact a fire door inspector.