Fire door inspections before small defects become larger problems

Independent fire door inspections for responsible persons, managing agents and property owners. Detailed door registers, photographic records and remedial schedules delivered by Kevin or Jon, with every inspection completed on site.

Fire doors rarely fail all at once

Most fire doors do not become non-compliant overnight. A damaged seal, a missing closer, excessive gaps or years without adjustment gradually reduce performance until the door no longer does the job it was installed to do.

That creates a problem for the responsible person. The door may appear serviceable, but the evidence needed to demonstrate compliance is often missing, incomplete or out of date.

ClearFire carries out door-by-door inspections that create a clear record of condition, defects and recommended actions. Every finding is photographed, documented and easy to pass to contractors, insurers or property stakeholders.

Fire doors rarely fail all at once

Different buildings. Different liabilities.

Every failing door we record falls into one of these categories. If your building hasn't been inspected recently, the chances are at least one applies.

Damaged intumescent seals

The most common single failure. Intumescent strips are designed to expand in a fire and seal the gap between door and frame. Painted over, snapped, missing or installed incorrectly, the door loses its fire rating entirely.

Self-closer not engaging

A fire door left open is not a fire door. Self-closers that are too weak to latch, adjusted by occupants, or removed entirely are one of the most frequently cited door findings in enforcement action.

Non-compliant door gaps

Gaps between the door leaf, the frame and the threshold must fall within strict tolerances to maintain the fire and smoke seal. Worn hinges, dropped leaves and poor installation are the usual causes.

Incorrect or failed glazing

Non-fire-rated glass, cracked panes and missing beading all compromise the door set. Vision panels must be fire-rated and properly sealed to match the door's rating.

Hinge and ironmongery defects

Loose, missing or incorrect hinges (fire doors need three CE-marked butt hinges), incorrect latches, and non-fire-rated letter plates all reduce the integrity and insulation performance.

Missing or incorrect signage

"Fire door keep shut" or "Fire door keep locked" notices are a basic requirement, and missing signage is one of the most common, and most easily fixed, findings.

If you control a building, the law puts the duty on you.

Three pieces of UK fire safety legislation define what you must do, when, and what evidence you must keep. Every ClearFire door register is written against these.

2005

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order

The principal fire safety legislation in England and Wales. Places the legal duty on the "responsible person" to ensure fire doors are maintained in efficient working order and good repair.

Articles 8–22 · Article 50
2021

The Fire Safety Act

Clarifies that for buildings with two or more domestic premises, the responsible person's duties extend to the structure, external walls and all flat entrance doors — including fire door maintenance.

Amends the 2005 Order
2022

Fire Safety (England) Regulations

Introduces mandatory quarterly checks of fire doors in the common parts of residential buildings over 11 metres, and annual checks of all flat entrance doors. Failure to comply is a criminal offence.

Regulation 10 · In force Jan 2023
i

Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 further amended the 2005 Order: stronger record-keeping requirements, clearer responsible-person identification and increased penalties. ClearFire door registers are written to the post-156 standard by default.

Client voice

Kevin was superb in responding quickly when asked to step in and replace an inadequate fire risk assessment delivered by another firm.

Charlie Parkes
Verified Google review
Bonnar FRA
Case Study

How Northbank Hospitality cut compliance findings by 73% across 14 sites.

Northbank operates 14 hotels and restaurants across the South East...

73 Reduction in open compliance findings year-on-year
0 Enforcement notices across the portfolio since 2019
Read the full case study

Office FRA needed this week? We can move fast.

Tell us about your site and we'll confirm scope and availability within one working hour. Senior partner on-site, report within 72 hours.

Everything you need to know about fire door inspections

Still have questions?

Whether you are managing a block of flats, commercial premises or mixed-use property, Kevin and Jon are happy to give straightforward advice before you book.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, any non-domestic premises — including the common parts of residential buildings — must have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. The responsible person (typically the employer, building owner, or managing agent) is legally obligated to commission and maintain it. Failure to do so can result in enforcement notices, unlimited fines, and in serious cases, prosecution.

The Type classification refers to the scope and intrusiveness of the assessment. Type 1 is the most common — a non-destructive inspection of common parts and accessible areas. Type 2 involves destructive inspection (opening up walls or floors to check compartmentation). Types 3 and 4 extend the scope to include individual flats or dwellings, with Type 4 also including destructive sampling. Your assessor will recommend the appropriate type based on your building’s age, construction and risk profile.

The law requires a review whenever there is a reason to believe the current assessment may no longer be valid — for example, a change in use, refurbishment, change of occupancy, or following an incident. In practice, most responsible persons review annually. High-risk premises, HMOs and residential blocks should typically review every 12 months as a minimum.

The physical site inspection typically takes between one and four hours depending on the size and complexity of the building. A small single-floor office may take 60–90 minutes; a multi-storey residential block may require a full day. The written report is delivered within 72 hours of the site visit as standard.

Yes. ClearFire is BAFE SP205 registered, which is the life safety fire risk assessment scheme recognised by the Association of British Insurers. Our reports are structured to include the evidence trail insurers look for — risk ratings, photographic evidence, action plans, and assessor qualifications. We have never had a ClearFire report rejected by an insurer.

ClearFire currently covers Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, with all site visits carried out by a founding partner. If your premises fall just outside these counties, contact us — we do occasionally travel further for larger portfolios or complex assessments.

We price by building type and complexity rather than square footage. Most standard commercial and residential assessments fall between £350 and £900. Multi-site programmes and complex residential blocks are priced on application. We provide a fixed quote before any work begins — no surprises on the invoice.

URGENT FIRE SAFETY REQUEST

Insurer deadline this week? Enforcement notice landed?

PARTNER LINE · 24 / 7 01844 896965