Who is the responsible person for fire doors?
Get a priceIt is whoever has control of the building.
Fire safety law in England puts the duty on a named role, the responsible person. It is not shared out equally among everyone who uses the building.
In a workplace
The employer is normally the responsible person. If the building is rented, the lease usually says who looks after the shared parts.
In a block of flats
For the communal areas it is normally whoever controls them. That can be a freeholder, a resident management company, a right to manage company or a managing agent acting for them.
Residents are responsible for keeping their own flat entrance door in sensible order, but the person controlling the building decides about the checks.
What that means in practice
The responsible person has to keep fire doors in working order and be able to show it. A dated report from a door inspection is one way.
If there is more than one person with control, they have to work together.
If you are not sure
Look at your lease or management agreement. If it is still unclear, get advice. We can tell you what we found on the doors, but we do not give legal advice.
Send us the postcode and a rough count of doors. A price comes back the same day.
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