Overview
The Building Safety Act 2022 introduces significant changes to how buildings are managed and maintained, with particular emphasis on fire safety.
For most property teams, the takeaway is practical: expectations around competence, record-keeping, coordination, and evidence are higher - and fire doors are one of the most audited parts of a building’s passive fire protection.
Where this bites for fire doors
Even if the exact duties differ by building type, the operational pressure is consistent:
- you need to know what doors you have (asset knowledge)
- you need a repeatable programme (inspection + remedials)
- you need defensible records (evidence that stands up to scrutiny)
For higher-risk residential buildings, governance expectations increase further — which means your door programme needs to be tidy, structured, and easy to explain.
Key Requirements
The Act is often discussed in broad terms, but auditors tend to look for a few practical outcomes.
| What teams are expected to demonstrate | What it means in practice | Typical evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Asset control | You know what fire doors you have and where they are | Door register with stable IDs + locations |
| Regular checks + follow-through | Inspections are planned and repeated | Inspection cadence + history per door |
| Risk-based prioritisation | Urgent defects are separated and actioned | Priorities, target dates, escalation notes |
| Competence | Suitable people do inspections/works | Competence statements, supervision/QA process |
| Evidence / close-out | You can prove what changed and when | Close-out notes + photos/records per door |
| Resident/stakeholder engagement | Access and disruption is managed | Access logs, resident comms, refused entry notes |
What This Means for You
Rather than treating “compliance” as a single certificate or a one-off project, expect an ongoing requirement to:
- know what you have (door assets, locations, condition)
- prioritise defects (risk-based remedial schedules)
- document what was done (before/after evidence, close-out records)
- demonstrate competent delivery (suitable people and processes)
In England, additional rules and guidance also sit alongside the wider building safety reforms (for example, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and related amendments, and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 for certain residential buildings). Requirements vary by building type and height, so always work from your fire risk assessment and competent advice.
For reference, official fire door guidance for Responsible Persons is available on GOV.UK:
A practical fire door programme (what auditors expect to see)
If you want a simple way to stress-test your approach, this is the structure auditors usually find easiest to follow.
1) Know your assets
- register of doors with IDs and locations
- door type/use notes where needed (e.g., flat entrance vs riser vs stair enclosure)
2) Run checks on a cadence
For certain residential buildings, check expectations (frequency and scope) are set out in the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and related guidance. Regardless, your checks should align to the building’s fire risk assessment.
3) Triage and close out
- defects logged consistently
- priorities agreed
- works completed with evidence
- outstanding items and access issues documented
4) Keep the evidence accessible
Whether you use BORIS or another system, the key is that you can produce:
- inspection history per door
- defects and status
- proof of close-out
Evidence fields worth standardising
If you want one simple improvement that makes audits and handovers easier, standardise the minimum fields your team records.
| Field | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Door ID + location | Prevents “which door?” disputes |
| Inspection date + check type | Proves cadence and intent |
| Outcome + defects | Shows risk picture, not just activity |
| Priority + target date | Makes issues actionable |
| Close-out note + date | Demonstrates risk reduction |
How it works
- Create/update the door register — IDs and locations.
- Inspect — routine checks plus competent inspections as needed.
- Plan remedials — repair vs replace decisions recorded.
- Deliver works — consistent QA and evidence.
- Maintain the record — so the programme survives staff changes and audits.
FAQs
Does the Building Safety Act set fire door check frequency?
Fire door check frequency for certain residential buildings in England is addressed separately (notably within the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and guidance). The Building Safety Act’s impact is more about governance, competence, and evidence.
What’s the biggest gap we see in real portfolios?
Not having a reliable door register and close-out trail. Without that, teams struggle to prove that issues were found, prioritised, and resolved.
Do we need to change what we do tomorrow?
Often, the biggest immediate improvement is administrative: standardise the register, defect codes, priorities, and close-out evidence. That makes everything else easier.
A practical checklist for property teams
- Confirm the scope - which doors are in scope (common parts, flat entrance doors, risers, plant areas, etc.).
- Inspect door-by-door - don’t rely on assumptions; capture condition and key performance issues.
- Produce a prioritised remedial schedule - urgent items separated from planned maintenance.
- Decide repair vs replacement - based on the specific doorset’s suitability and condition.
- Keep an evidence trail - inspection outputs, work records, and close-out documentation.
Related pages
Note
This article is general information and isn’t legal advice. If you need help interpreting obligations for a specific building, get competent advice and align actions to the fire risk assessment.