AnthonyB

Agreed, sounds like the batteries!

No, the listed status of a building does not allow occupiers to be put at increased risk. If it's had electricity and light fittings added already then it will usually be possible to put emergency lighting in with ease, especially if you use conversion kits in existing fittings. Also check the listing at English Heritage - often it's the exterior of the building that is listed, not always the interior (& not always all aspects either)

Use FB Marketplace, far less strict!

DCLG Sleeping Risk Guide is currently for commercial premises such as hotels. For residential blocks it has been superseded by the below LACORS is for shared houses, ***'s and houses converted to flats not in according with the modern building regulations for purpose built flats. The Government (former LGA) Guide for Fire Safety in Purpose Built Flats is for purpose built flats of all ages The NFCC Guide for Specialised Housing is for Sheltered Housing and Supported Living The order of publication of the guides was DCLG in 2008, LACORS in 2008, LGA 2011 (republished 2021), NFCC 2017

Q1. Even if every flat has it's own entrance if deemed part of the same building then in theory based on how you read it yes, the FSA would apply - however as this would potentially pull in semi detached houses I think the guidance that is to be released may well clarify that it only applies to buildings with internal common parts as well. Q2. Yes

The FB range consists of only mortice and padlock keys and a drop key - that sellers description is misleading as it's not for the 'Yale' style of Spring cylinder lock used in most dry risers, but a rim lock taking a mortice style key. Best bet is asking whoever tests your dry riser as they will need the keys to do so, last resort is a lock smith

You've already posted this question!

Quite possibly - the recently resurrected purpose built flat guide will help https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-in-purpose-built-blocks-of-flats

Generally yes. A photoluminescent way guidance system can be a useful alternative, but only if done correctly (which is quite costly) and to ensure the material is 'charged' so it glows at full intensity for the required period you would need to leave your normal lighting on most of not all the time, so in the end the low consumption LED emergency lighting may work out cheaper in the longer term. If you want to seriously investigate the way guidance option contact https://jalite.com/safety_signs_means_of_escape who will put you in touch with a suitably trained and experienced distributor who can carry out a survey for you.

If they are blue in white plugged they are 30/30 doors to the old standard and as long as there are intumescent strips in the door or frame and have the right ironmongery are effectively FD30 doors. If the installers back in the day just used a 25mm stop this invalidates the plug marking as it requires the intumescent for the performance to be acceptable. The 25mm stop dates back to before the existence of intumescent strips and if you have a door with the correct strips then the stop on a single door is immaterial. They would still be notional doors though and acceptable under the purpose built flat guide (which has been re-issued recently although a full revision is underway). Having said that I'd be more comfortable adding the intumescent strip that should always have been there and if doing that the additional cost of intumescent strips with cold smoke seals as oppose to just the strip is negligible enough such that you might as well go all the way and restore it to FD30S status. Your agent is covering themselves really - at least they aren't in the militant "rip out every door and door frame in the country and replace new" brigade that seem to be increasing in traction!

Yes to stop a fire in your flat preventing escape through the internal common stair and likewise making fire fighter access difficult. Flat front doors are primarily to protect others not the flat on fire. Whoever is the freeholder (or the TMC if all the flat owners share it) should have carried out a Fire Risk Assessment which, if suitable & sufficient, should have considered this, it's been a legal requirement for 15 years!

It could be of it forms an obstruction or narrows the path down the ramp to under 800mm.

If you own the land and there is no easement allowing others access for emergency or other purposes then they cannot legally do this - the fire regulations do not override property law in this instance. You could grant them a deed of easement to allow this for which you could charge a fee. I'd ask to see the risk assessment as well.

No it doesn't and leaseholders have overturned this at Tribunal in the past (especially where the doors were only visually inspected from one side and an arbitrary judgement made). Being 80's there is a fair chance these are already FD30S doors that might only need minor changes (e.g. if they use concealed chain closers they need changing to EN1154 overhead closers). The guidance they should be following is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-in-purpose-built-blocks-of-flats

Any room can be locked when not in use unless it forms part of an escape route from an occupied area.

Ladders are not (normally) accepted as a means of escape and if the premises are compliant with the one stair and exit (which they probably will be) then that is the end of the landlord and agent's responsibility. There is nothing stopping you buying your own if you are really worried. https://www.safelincs.co.uk/fire-escape-ladders/

Only on some self testing fittings - which the majority aren't!

It isn't right. It's controlled waste under The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 so should have been removed and disposed of by a licensed contractor. More worrying is that cupboard is an extreme fire hazard with all that combustible stuff stored against the distribution board.

Sorry, my bad, meant leaseholder. They should think themselves lucky as usually they would have to install and maintain their own system (interfaced to the flats as required) at their own cost which is usually far more than a service charge contribution.

How does it open (other than manually) on power failure? This is the one stumbling block I've encountered with shutters where the motor is 240V or 415V. Otherwise the general principles seem sound in lieu of specific guidance.

Depends on where they are and why. If they are Georgian wired for impact protection then suitable toughened/laminated safety glass, if for fire then it needs to be 30 minute fire resisting glazing (which due to advances in technology over the last couple of decades can be clear without wires). Toughened/laminated safety glass is not fire resistant as a matter of course it needs to be specified as both. https://www.ifsecglobal.com/fire-protection/guide-to-fire-resistant-glass-and-glazing/

The white & green plug shows that door is a BWF certified Fire Check Door of 30 minutes stability & 20 minutes integrity that does not need separate intumescent strips as they are integral to the construction of the door located underneath the lipping. The white & blue plug shows that door is a BWF certified Fire Door of 30 minutes stability & integrity that does need separate intumescent strips in the doorframe. This system was used under fire doors under the old BS 476 Part 8 1972 standard where Integrity Failure is deemed to occur when cracks or other openings exist through which flames or hot gases can pass or when flaming occurs on the unexposed face & Stability Failure is deemed to occur when collapse of the specimen takes place. Current standard doors are measured by Integrity Only so the white/green doors would now be classed as FD20 doors for internal use in a flat and the white/blue door FD30 for the front door needing cold smoke seals as well as intumescent strips. Perko chains were accepted at the time but as they can't be adjusted they are unreliable and so usually should be replaced with proper closers. I very much doubt the fitters mentioned are competent if they are putting Perko chains in new doors! Other than some minor changes your doors seem fine and unless they are willing to pay to change them themselves may not be able to compel you to (especially as the door wasn't inspected) as some leaseholders found out when they took their freeholder to tribunal over fire door works and charges and won!

If the individual enclosures were to the latest standard of a non combustible housing and the area free from combustibles that would be a reasonable alternative - products to upgrade existing housings also exist:https://envirograf.com/product/electrical-consumer-unit-and-distribution-board-fire-protection-system/

Current benchmarks would require FD30S. The external door does not need to be a fire door unless an external escape route is nearby

If it's still under construction I suggest you contact your Local Authority Building Control department to have a look.