Front door to flat

[Guest Tim]

Hi. We manage a purpose-built 1970s three-storey block of concrete/masonry construction. 10 flats are accessed via the main communal entrance and internal common areas. We are in the process of ensuring the front doors to these 10 flats are 30-minute fire doors.

An additional flat (part of the same block) has its entrance door directly opposite the main communal entrance in a covered passageway area. The door to this flat is not fire-rated (and neither is the communal entrance door). The covered passageway is open at one end but is probably only about 20-30% of the area of all the wall area of the passageway. The flat door is located about 2m away from the main communal entrance door. The 11 other flats have access to another dedicated fire escape at the other side of the building. Should the door to this flat be replaced? We have considered it as low priority as the other flats have access to another fire exit. Please provide references as we will need to back up our decision.

[AnthonyB]

Your fire risk assessor should have really covered this for you  - the guidance for these blocks only require one protected stair & final exit so the exit near the external exit is not required to be a means of escape - as such the external flat front door would not need to be passed in order to escape, therefore it need not be a fire door.
Also in a 70's low rise block there is a fair chance you don't need to replace internal fire doors if original & in good order, beyond possibly new self closers, they ay be possible to retain or repair - again the FRA should have addressed this.

The Government recognises too many management companies are feeling pressured into and leaseholders made to pay for excessive fire safety work (sometimes at the expense of needed measures overlooked in poor FRAs) and their guidance shows that a pragmatic approach is legally compliant - no wholesale replacements unless genuinely required