Fire door - ground floor flat (block of 8), private entrance

[Guest Jess2000]

Hi all,

Have been trying to get my head around building regulations all morning and would appreciate your help in getting to the bottom of this!

I own a ground floor, ex council flat - the block is made of 8 flats, and is 4 stories high with each flat containing 2 floors. My flat is on the ground floor, with a private entrance into my own front garden however as I am the end block my flat is next to the staircase that leads upstairs.

I have paid for a Composite door which is due to be installed next week - I got planning permission for this replacement, however did not realise this would potentially need to be a fire door.  Islington is quite vague and puts out a general message on flats but as my door doesn't open onto communal areas I am not sure if this applies

https://www.islington.gov.uk/.../20170523firesafetyguideforfrontentrancedoors.docx

 

I have called Islington building control who were also generally vague and asked me to speak to a surveyor on Tuesday - as I had planned to get this installed next week I would appreciate any advice or direction to legislation which shows that I am fine to install a standard composite door. For reference we currently have a timber door which is 4.5cm wide, but has a lot of gaps round the edge, the letterbox doesn't close and no evidence that it is currently a fire door.

 

If it turns out I do need a fire door - how easy is it to upgrade the door I have just bought?

 

Thanks

 

Jess

 

1.  

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

"My flat is on the ground floor, with a private entrance into my own front garden however as I am the end block my flat is next to the staircase that leads upstairs".

From what you say, it seems this is the only entrance/exit door from the flat.  So the question is: If there was a fire inside your flat would failure of the door to hold back  fire and smoke prevent others from using the staircase to escape from the floors above?

FD30s composite flat entrance doors are available so speak to your supplier if necessary.