We’re inspecting all fire doors in buildings over 11 metres
17 November 2022
We recently shared information about a fire door pilot we were running which used QR codes to more effectively document the condition of fire doors in flats and buildings over 11 metres. This is in preparation for the Fire Safety Act 2021, which is enforceable from 23 January 2023. You can click here to find out more about this pilot. We’re pleased to announce that we have since appointed Savills who will be partnering with Riskhub Limited to install QR codes on all fire doors in blocks of flats over 11metres tall, as well as carrying out inspections of these doors.
We’ve calculated that there will be approximately 8,000 front doors and communal doors that will require these inspections. Each of these fire doors are being labelled with a small QR code placed discreetly in the top corner of the door. The codes are unique to each fire door and they allow inspectors to record information about the condition of the door. Savills are currently working their way through inspecting these fire doors to ensure they are in a safe and satisfactory condition and working as they should be.
We have a statutory obligation to inspect all fire doors in buildings over 11metres tall, meaning that if you live in one of these buildings, you are obligated to provide us access to your home for this under the terms of your lease or tenancy. We want to work with you to ensure the continued safety of your building by having Savills visit the building and your home to inspect the fire doors.
When will inspections take place?
We will shortly be contacting residents living in buildings over 11 metres to confirm when Savills will be visiting their block to inspect communal and flat entry fire doors, so please make sure we have your most up to date contact details. To update your contact details, please contact us by emailing customerservice@networkhomes.org.uk, completing a contact form on our website, tweeting us at @networkhomesuk or @asknetworkhomes, messaging us on Facebook or calling our Contact Centre on 0300 373 3000.
Due to the scale of this task, Savills may attempt to visit your building outside of scheduled visits to try and inspect as many doors as possible whilst they are there. The assessors will have ID and will be wearing branded uniforms. If you are unsure of whether visitors are from Savills, please contact us to confirm– ideally when they are still in your building. If you notify us that you would like a specific inspection day or time, we will do our utmost to accommodate this when the inspection is due.
Upcoming inspections
You can see the week we expect to come and carry out inspections in the below document.
What do the inspections involve?
This involves checking that they are in satisfactory condition and are operating as expected. Savills assessors will require access to both sides of each door to inspect them fully, and they'll be checking some key features such as:
- If there is any damage to the door's glazing (glass) or air vents and grilles
- If there are significant gaps around the frame and that seals and hinges are fitted correctly
- The self-closer shuts the door correctly around the whole frame
- That there is no visible damage to the door or closer.
Any issues identified will be reported back to our Fire and Building Safety team who will arrange any repairs or remediation work that is needed. If work needs to be done to your front door, the team will be in touch.
How can you help us?
As well as making sure your contact details are up to date, you can help us ensure that your fire doors are working as they should be by getting in touch if you see a damaged fire door or notice any faults with fire doors. We encourage you to use the 5 Step Check to know what to look for. Please report any issues by contacting us.
