Few topics cause more confusion than HMO fire doors. Landlords ask whether every bedroom really needs one, whether a normal door can be upgraded, and why the self-closer matters so much. The short version is that fire doors do a lot of the heavy lifting in an HMO, and the guidance expects them in most shared houses. If your HMO is in Slough or elsewhere in Berkshire, here is what to know.
What a fire door is for
In an HMO, the strategy usually relies on tenants being able to stay in their room briefly while protected, or to pass through a protected escape route. Fire doors buy that time by holding back fire and smoke. A bedroom door that resists fire for 30 minutes can be the difference between a contained incident and a fatal one, which is why they feature so heavily in the LACORS guidance.
Do all bedrooms need one
In most HMOs, bedroom doors that open onto the escape route are expected to be fire doors, typically to the FD30 standard, meaning 30 minutes of fire resistance. Whether every door needs upgrading depends on the property and your fire risk assessment, but the default in a typical shared house is that habitable room doors on the escape route are fire-resisting. The kitchen, as a high-risk room, is a particular priority.
FD30 and FD30S
You will see two labels. FD30 is a 30-minute fire door. FD30S adds smoke seals, the S standing for smoke. Because smoke, not flame, is what usually harms people first, smoke seals matter. Fire doors also need intumescent strips that expand in heat, and the correct gaps around the frame. A door is only a fire door if it is hung and maintained as a complete assembly.
Why self-closers are non-negotiable
A fire door wedged open does nothing at all. That is why the guidance expects self-closing devices on fire doors in HMOs, so the door shuts itself even when a tenant forgets. The management regulations then require you to keep them working. Tenants propping doors open is one of the most common problems, so it needs clear communication and regular checks.
Locks and escape
Doors on the escape route must let people out easily without a key. Where rooms have locks, the guidance points to thumb-turn type locks that open from the inside without hunting for a key. This keeps security and escape working together rather than against each other.
Keeping doors effective
Check closers, seals and gaps as part of your routine, because a fire door that no longer latches has quietly stopped protecting anyone. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service can advise on older properties where retrofitting fire doors is tricky, and an assessor will tell you which doors genuinely need upgrading.
Upgrading existing doors
You do not always have to replace a door to make it perform. Existing solid timber doors can sometimes be upgraded with intumescent strips, cold smoke seals and a self-closer, where an assessor judges the door suitable, which is often cheaper than a full replacement. Where a door is hollow, ill-fitting or damaged, replacement to a certificated FD30S standard is the safer route, especially on the escape route.
Either way, keep evidence of what was fitted, since a council may ask how a door meets the standard. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service can advise on older properties where original features complicate matters, and a competent assessor will tell you which doors genuinely need work and which are acceptable, so you spend where it counts rather than replacing everything by default.
Get your fire doors right
Unsure which doors in your HMO need upgrading? For advice tailored to your property from a competent professional, speak to Jamie at ESI: Fire Safety on 01276 300 351.
