We have a flat in a small purpose built block of four - 2 ground floor and 2 first floor. Communal porch/lobby entrance with two flat doors off and single stairway to first floor landing with 2 flat doors off. We have battery smoke detector in lobby and one on landing. All flat doors are fire doors and construction of flat floors & walls is solid concrete and brick. Evacuation from each flat is good and our policy is to evacuate in event of incident. A Flat owner had recent visit from Fire Brigade representative (Safe & Well visit) who said we should adopt 'Stay Put policy' and no need to have the two smoke detectors. I know this policy is optional but wondered whether removal of smoke detectors is correct - surely, better to keep them as an early warning feature?

On 09/09/2026 at 18:00, Guest Chris B said:

We have a flat in a small purpose built block of four - 2 ground floor and 2 first floor. Communal porch/lobby entrance with two flat doors off and single stairway to first floor landing with 2 flat doors off. We have battery smoke detector in lobby and one on landing. All flat doors are fire doors and construction of flat floors & walls is solid concrete and brick. Evacuation from each flat is good and our policy is to evacuate in event of incident. A Flat owner had recent visit from Fire Brigade representative (Safe & Well visit) who said we should adopt 'Stay Put policy' and no need to have the two smoke detectors. I know this policy is optional but wondered whether removal of smoke detectors is correct - surely, better to keep them as an early warning feature?

A warning to leave the safety of your flat (a 60 minute fire resistant box) into a smoke filled stair - which has killed on several occasions.

What the official guidance says:

"In ‘general needs’ blocks designed to support a ‘stay put’ policy, it is unnecessary and undesirable for a fire alarm system to be provided"

"Fire detection and alarm systems are not normally provided in the common parts of blocks of flats (with the exception of sheltered housing schemes). This has been the benchmark standard for many years (see Appendix 1) and continues to be the case for new blocks of flats under the current guidance in Approved DocumentB."

"Domestic smoke alarms are not appropriate for the common parts of blocks of flats, nor is it appropriate to apply the recommendations of BS 5839-6 to a communal fire alarm system. Where domestic smoke alarms exist in the common parts of a block, they may, and often should, be removed"