Fire doors for businesses of every kind
If you control a commercial building, the Fire Safety Order makes you responsible for keeping its fire doors maintained. We inspect, maintain, repair and install them, and record every visit, so you have evidence for the fire service and your insurer.
Your duties
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person (usually the employer, owner or whoever controls the premises) must carry out a fire risk assessment and keep fire safety measures, including fire doors, maintained and in good repair.
Correct as of October 2026. Different laws apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What we see in each sector
- EducationNurseries, schools, colleges, universitiesHigh-traffic corridors, damage, and doors wedged open for ventilation or supervision.
- Healthcare and care homesHospitals, GP surgeries, clinics, care homesDoors that need to stay open for residents and staff need hold-open devices linked to the fire alarm.
- HospitalityHotels, restaurants, cafés, pubs, clubsEvery guest room door is a fire door, and kitchen doors take constant wear.
- RetailShops, supermarkets, shopping centresBack-of-house doors get blocked by stock or damaged by trolleys and cages.
- OfficesOffices, business centres, co-working spacesTenant fit-outs often alter or replace doors without matching their test evidence.
- Industrial and warehousesWarehouses, manufacturing, distribution, plant roomsSteel and heavy-duty doors, impact damage, and plant rooms that need compartmentation. BS 8214:2026 now covers steel doors.
- Leisure and fitnessGyms, health clubs, leisure centres, rehabilitation centresChanging rooms, plant rooms and busy circulation routes with doors in constant use.
- Public and community buildingsCouncil buildings, libraries, community centres, places of worshipOlder buildings with mixed door types and records that are often incomplete.
Hold-open devices
Where a fire door needs to stay open in normal use, the only safe way is a hold-open device that releases the door when the fire alarm sounds. Wedges and door stops are never acceptable. Devices should be covered by your fire risk assessment and tested along with the alarm. We'll flag any doors that are being propped open during an inspection.
Questions we get asked
How often do fire doors need maintenance?
The Fire Safety Order requires fire doors to be kept maintained and in good repair, but it doesn’t set a fixed timetable. The right frequency depends on how busy the doors are, and your fire risk assessment should guide it.
In practice, the parts that wear fastest are closers, seals and hinges, especially on busy corridor and stair doors. Fixing them as soon as a check finds a problem is usually cheaper than waiting for a door to fail its next inspection.
Last reviewed October 2026
Do fire doors need self-closers?
Most fire doors need a self-closing device that closes the door fully and engages the latch from any open position. A fire door that is left open protects nothing.
Some doors, such as service cupboards kept locked shut, may be treated differently. Your fire risk assessment and the door’s specification decide this.
Last reviewed October 2026
Can a fire door be held open?
Only with a suitable hold-open device that releases the door automatically when the fire alarm sounds. Wedges, fire extinguishers and door stops are never acceptable.
Hold-open devices need to be included in your fire risk assessment and tested along with the alarm.
Last reviewed October 2026
What happens if fire doors aren't maintained?
Fire and rescue services enforce the Fire Safety Order. They can issue enforcement notices and prosecute, and fines can be unlimited. Poorly maintained doors can also cause problems with insurers and, most importantly, may not protect people in a fire.
Last reviewed October 2026
Do HMOs need fire doors?
In most HMOs, yes. Councils commonly expect rooms opening onto the escape route, such as bedrooms and kitchens, to have 30-minute fire doors with self-closers, but the exact standard depends on the property, its fire risk assessment and the local council’s HMO standards.
The landlord, or the managing agent acting for them, is responsible for keeping fire doors in working order. Check your council’s HMO guidance, and we can inspect the doors against it.
Last reviewed October 2026
Book a survey or check where you stand.
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