Inspection futility

As a fairly newly qualified fire door inspector, this past year has seen me return to inspected premises (quarterly/annually) to come to the same conclusion results as previously reported. Many of the inspection findings highlighted excessive threshold gaps, non-compliant hinges, missing combined seals, faulty closing devices among other significant fails. Despite anecdotal reporting of such and recommending remedial options, it appears that some landlords are refraining from their obligations with regard to fire safety.

Each of the fire door fails, in one way or another, already compromise the safety of the residents. If these fails are not immediately rectified they remain vulnerable and potentially lives are at risk. 

In the obvious knee-jerk to the Grenfell tragedy (quite rightly so), governments have been addressing various aspects of fire safety through Acts, Documents & Regulations, with revised editions. My concern is that all I am able to do as an inspector is report my inspection findings and leave them in the lap of landlords that have undertaken their responsibility. I am unable to issue timescales as matters of urgency, and have no mandatory powers of sway (only the Fire Brigade can attend premises and enforce timelines or immediate change.) So, this leaves me having evidenced fail concerns and then turning away and hoping landlords act upon the findings. Returning to premises with no remedial changes made by landlords concerns me greatly, as without doubt there are numerous potential mini Grenfell situations out there with compartmentation and fire door fails in abundance. Governments need to do more with this specific regard (or disregard) to resident safety and the various regulatory guides need more in depth revision.