AnthonyB

Without seeing the site and layout it's difficult to be definitive, but usually doors to protect means of escape require to be smoke dampers so heat activated fire dampers would not operate quickly enough to protect the route and combined smoke/heat dampers activated by smoke detection would commonly be required unless there is some form of smoke control feature negating it (e.g. pressure differential system)

Shouldn't be needed on stay put, wouldn't be mandatory on the simultaneous and the FRA should guide this - depending on the premises and occupancy type it may be advantageous but only if the AFA Policy of the fire service is appropriate or it would be money for nothing if they won't attend.

This is a property & land law issue & not one for which this forum can answer. All I can say from my experience is that not all easements, deeds of variations and licenses for access for escape are permanent and some can be invalidated in various ways (e.g. one named party sells up) so you need expert sector specific advice

Have you looked at these? https://envirograf.com/product/ecu-fire-protection-system/

It's not a legal requirement in England, also you would need to check your fire service's automatic fire alarm policy - whilst some would attend an 'alarm sounding' call from a remote monitoring system, others would not and would require confirmation of fire first. One assumes these are simultaneous evac blocks with systems in common areas and flats otherwise the fire alarm isn't even required (just detection to open smoke vents). A lot of blocks are spending leaseholders money on unnecessary fire alarms and unnecessary fire door replacements!

Why did your professional FRA not give you the category of system required? It's not really very good to just say "you need a BS5839-1 fire alarm system" they should if competent be giving you more than that. A small to medium place of assembly only requires manual call points (Category M) to final exits and high risk areas unless there is an aspect of the layout requiring specific detection (e.g. for an inner room situation) making it Category M/L5. The healthcare usage could in theory bump it up to Category L3 (detection to escape corridors, routes and any room opening into it other than toilets) but it's ancillary to the main usage so a pragmatic approach could be possible. If you want property protection then you'd need lots more detection (such as any room where there is a fire risk, but not necessarily escape routes) and remote monitoring of the system (M/P2 when also including call points and sounders) You may need more sounders as you need to achieve a minimum sound pressure level throughout the building (65dB, with some specific areas 60dB). You may also require Visual Alarm Devices depending on the usage of the premises, which your FRA should have told you. Zoning doesn't work the way you think, leave that to the designer, if small enough the whole building could in theory be one zone, especially if Category M. Your plan isn't showing or I could give some better advice by marking on it. Cheapest option that should comply if nothing unusual is present is to keep your intruder alarm linked smokes for property protection out of hours and a Category M fire alarm system to meet the minimum legal requirement for the premises.

Yes in theory if the gaps are within the maximum tolerance by Frame Fit and the door set is one tested as suitable by them. This could affect certification, although it's already out of that if the gaps are in excess of those allowed by the door manufacturer.

No. The commercial FRA should consider the effect of a fire there on other relevant persons (flat above) but the flat does not require an FRA as it is a single private dwelling in a block of one.

If you can list some of the 'fail' points specifically we can help with pointers - some requirements have been around decades, others less so.

Our resident fire door expert will be along to assist, but your doors do not have to be to current standards as a matter of course and a decent fire door inspector with the right skills, knowledge and competency would be able to give an opinion for your risk assessor to consider - there are too many 'zero to hero' inspectors only trained in new doors, with the result loads of unnecessary door replacements have occurred. It's an unusual set up though - I usually only see metal doors in metal frames and they don't need intumescent strips, just smoke seals if an 'S' door (which they should be)

If it's a single private dwelling not being rented as a HMO just an AST then unless carrying out changes to the premises that would be subject to Building Regulations you don't retrospectively have to do anything if it is in it's original form except where specific legislation requires it (e.g. smoke & CO alarms, EICR & Gas Safe related safety issues)

Usually yes, covering the common parts of the HMO- see for practical guidance https://www.cieh.org/media/1244/guidance-on-fire-safety-provisions-for-certain-types-of-existing-housing.pdf

The thing is you can get the FRA done by someone else and they will disagree and support maintaining the status quo! Your common system would be a Grade D smoke alarm in the common hall wirelessly linked to Grade D heat alarms in the flat hallways close to the bedroom doors. It would not link to each flats existing smoke alarms. This is to avoid the alarms being disabled or ignored by false alarms that would affect the whole building (a very common problem with simultaneous evacuation flat blocks). This doesn't mean you aren't allowed to link the whole lot, but be aware of the potential pitfalls of this!

I'd be minded not to make the original provision worse by keeping fire doors to the internal stair, but if the deck flats have two directions of escape would be less bothered about these - difficult to be definitive without seeing them

This would only usually be required where fire resistance between flats is less than notional 30 minutes (wooden floor with good condition lath & plaster underdrawing) or confirmed 30 minutes fire resistance (wooden floor with good condition plasterboard underdrawing) - brand new very small blocks only require 30 minutes fire resistance rather than the usual 60. The smoke control requirement for a stay put block wouldn't apply to a small ground floor only lobby either. Often these small blocks require nothing beyond the front doors being fire doors where there is only a small lobby. These blocks often don't have a landlord supply so the cost implications of bringing in a new electrical supply for common fire alarms & emergency lighting etc. If you did require a common system it would be separate from the existing flat smoke/heat alarms spanning all three areas - flat, common areas & flats:

A non combustible housing to current Wiring regs goes some way to reducing the risk, usually fire resistant cupboards are of plasterboard & stud or Glasroc & stud (which allows for the use of thinner boards)

You don't just for your flat as it is a private dwelling not subject to the law. However, as the building overall contains 2 or more dwellings then it does require an FRA of areas in common (including external walls & flat front doors where they open to internal common areas or an external deck approach)

As a place of assembly you require panic proof fastenings (push bars) as a matter of course (& have done for over a century) How many people can the hall accommodate? There are high security versions of panic fastenings not requiring people to remember to operate secondary fastenings, also as part of a good opening and closing management system these doors can be chained whilst the premises is unoccupied (if you have a caretaker who opens & closes up for hirers this would work) .https://www.assaabloy.com/uk/en/solutions/products/hardware-for-doors-and-windows/panic-and-emergency-exit-hardware/high-security-panic-and-emergency-hardware

It it metal?

If it's a heat alarm as part of a common system going in your flat the hallway close to the entrance is the usual location.

Upcycling as you describe could easily be seen as remanufacturing and subject to the same requirements as any new product - a summary of the current regs is here https://brc.org.uk/news-and-events/news/associate-insight/2025/uk-furniture-and-furnishings-fire-safety-regulations-overview-and-insights/

Specialised Housing is the closest suitable guide.

I'd not consider it a major issue then, just seal any penetrations into the roof space and into surrounding areas that are not the stair core.

Opening onto escape routes would potentially indicate a need for smoke seals as well as intumescent. As a new installation they should be to current standards so seals would usually be expected

I'm sure for the appropriate fee and seeing the premises a competent person will advise. Whilst on paper this may not sound a bad number the layout of the routes and their proximity to each other could change which are considered the largest & must be discounted, worst case is there are two exits not 4 based on location and separation. I assume they all open in the direction of escape and where not in normal use have panic fastenings