Don’t Replace Fire Doors Unnecessarily: Understand the 2025 Guidance Update

Who Does This Change Affect?

The update, published on 8 August 2025, applies explicitly to Responsible Persons (RPs) under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, and particularly to those responsible for:

• Multi-occupied residential buildings with shared areas (e.g. blocks of flats, HMOs, student halls)
• Buildings over 11 metres (typically four storeys or more), where extra checks are mandatory

The list of RPs includes:

• Landlords
• Building owners
• Managing agents
• Housing associations
• Local authorities
• Right to Manage companies
• Block and facilities managers

If you’re responsible for the safety of communal areas and flat entrance doors, this update directly affects your legal duties.

What’s Changed?

The government has updated:

• The main fire door guidance (sections 2.4 and 6.7)
• The fire doors checklist (accessible version)
• The Foreword, which now clearly addresses a long-standing concern

Importantly, fire doors that comply with the original installation standards do not automatically need to be replaced if they are not certified to current new-build standards.

In other words, existing fire doors are acceptable,  provided they’re in good condition, fit for purpose, and close correctly.

What Does This Mean in Practice?

The update removes a lot of confusion about what’s “compliant” and what’s not. Here’s the key takeaway:

• You do not need to replace older fire doors just because they lack certification labels or aren’t up to today’s new-build spec.
• You must still ensure they’re maintained, undamaged, and self-closing.

Your Legal Duties Under Regulation 10

If you manage a building with multiple flats and communal areas, you must:

• For all residential buildings with communal parts:
  • Inform residents about the importance of keeping fire doors shut and reporting any faults.
• For buildings over 11m:
  • Quarterly inspections of all communal fire doors
  • Annual checks on a best endeavour basis of flat entrance doors
• The new checklist now clarifies:
  • You’re checking functionality, not certification labels
  • Missing intumescent strips or smoke seals are only a concern if they were originally present and are now damaged

What Are the Benefits for You?

This update is good news for businesses and dutyholders. It offers:

• Clarity: Clear, consistent guidance from the government
• Cost Savings: Focus on maintaining and repairing doors rather than unnecessary replacements
• Proactive Compliance: Reduces legal risk and shows due diligence

What Should You Do Now?

Here’s how to respond to the August 2025 update:

1. Review your current fire door procedures, especially for buildings over 11 metres
2. Use the updated fire door checklist to record inspections, defects, and actions
3. Communicate with residents
4. Focus on key indicators (e.g., self-closing, undamaged, correct gaps)
5. Log everything in your fire safety records

If a door is significantly compromised, act fast. Use a competent person with experience in fire doors to correct the issue.

Example Scenario

You manage a four-storey block of leasehold flats. Last year, you discovered that some flat entrance doors lacked visible certification, and one had a non-functional self-closer.

Before this update:

• You considered recommending door replacement, which could create potential cost disputes with leaseholders.

After the update:

• Does the door self-close effectively?
• Is it undamaged and fits well in the door frame?
• Is there any evidence of removed seals or faulty components?

If you decide that replacement is not required, schedule a new inspection in six months and document everything.