Fire doors are passive fire protection. They only work if they are maintained. UK law imposes specific obligations on responsible persons to inspect and record fire door condition. This page explains those obligations, what each door inspection must cover, and provides a free inline checklist.
Three pieces of legislation directly affect fire door inspection obligations in the UK.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) applies to all non-domestic premises and the common areas of residential buildings. Article 17 requires the responsible person to ensure that fire-fighting equipment and fire protection measures, including fire doors, are maintained in effective working order and good repair. The Order does not specify inspection frequencies; it requires the responsible person to manage fire safety, which in practice means regular documented checks.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced specific requirements for residential buildings with four or more storeys. Responsible persons must carry out quarterly checks on all fire doors in common areas, and annual checks on flat entrance doors (for buildings with 11 or more storeys, landlords must also seek access to check flat entrance doors). These obligations have been in force since January 2023.
The Building Safety Act 2022 covers higher-risk buildings, residential buildings of 18 metres or more (or seven or more storeys) with at least two residential units. Accountable persons and principal accountable persons have duties to identify, assess, and manage structural and fire safety risks throughout the life of the building. Fire door condition forms part of that ongoing safety case. The Act creates personal liability for failures.
A fire door inspection is not a visual glance. It is a systematic check of every component that contributes to the door's fire resistance performance.
Condition of the door leaf: no holes, cuts, or damage to the core. Presence and legibility of the fire door label or plug (usually inside the top edge of the door). Any modification to the leaf, added glazing, letterbox, or cat flap, that could compromise its integrity must be noted.
Condition of the frame: no cracks, splits, or gaps between frame and wall. Evidence of previous damage or repair. The frame and leaf must be compatible (the fire door must have been tested as a system, not just the leaf in isolation).
Gaps around the perimeter of the door leaf (top, hinge side, latch side) should be 3mm or less. Threshold gap 8mm or less, or fitted with a threshold seal. Gap consistency around the full perimeter: an uneven gap indicates the door has dropped or the frame has moved.
Intumescent strips must be present and undamaged on all four sides of the door or frame (depending on the door design). Smoke seals (brush strips) where fitted must be complete and not compressed. Missing or damaged seals mean the door will not perform to its rating.
Number of hinges: fire doors typically require three hinges. Hinge condition: no loose screws, damage, or wear. CE marking or third-party certification on hinges.
Closer present and functioning. Door closes fully from open position without assistance. Door closes and latches under its own power. Closer not held open by wedges, furniture, or other obstructions.
"Fire door keep shut" or "Fire door keep locked" signage present and legible on both sides of the door. Signage on final exit doors where required.
Where a vision panel is present: glass type confirmed as fire-rated glazing (not standard glass), condition of glazing beads and seals, no cracks or chips to the glass.
Threshold gap checked. Automatic threshold seal (drop seal) operates correctly where fitted. No damage to the floor covering or threshold strip that would prevent the door from closing fully.
The record must identify the door (floor, location, door number in the register), the date of inspection, the inspector's name, the condition of each element checked, any defects found, the recommended action, and the priority.
A building with fifty fire doors needs fifty individual records per inspection round. The administrative burden is the reason many responsible persons fall behind. The inspection happens; the paperwork does not.
Fire door inspectors using Quickler complete each door in sequence via WhatsApp. The workflow asks each checklist item. Defects are photographed and sent directly in the conversation. At the end of the inspection round the PDF is generated: one record per door, timestamped, tied to the building address. The dashboard shows amber and red items across the entire building so the responsible person can see at a glance which doors need attention.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person to ensure fire doors are maintained in effective working order. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require quarterly checks on fire doors in common areas of residential buildings with four or more storeys. Higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022 are subject to more prescriptive obligations.
The standard requirement is that gaps around fire doors should be 3mm or less on the hinge side, latch side, and top of the door. At the threshold the gap should be no more than 8mm, or fitted with a threshold seal. Larger gaps indicate the door has dropped, warped, or the frame has moved, and the door will not perform to its fire resistance rating.
The RRO 2005 requires the responsible person to ensure inspections are carried out by a competent person. Competence is defined by knowledge, training and experience. There is no statutory mandatory qualification, but bodies such as the British Woodworking Federation and the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers run recognised fire door inspection schemes.
Yes. The responsible person must maintain records of fire safety checks, including fire door inspections, as part of their fire safety management system. In the event of a fire or enforcement action, records demonstrate that the duty of care was discharged. Undocumented inspections offer no protection.
Copy and paste this into the workflow description when you sign up at app.quickler.co/signup:
Fire door inspection — copy and paste this at signup: Workflow name: Fire door inspection Questions: 1. Inspector name and date? 2. Building and door reference or location? 3. Door leaf — any damage, warping or gaps? (yes/no + photo) 4. Gap around door leaf — within 3mm top and sides, 8mm at floor? (yes/no + photo) 5. Intumescent strips and smoke seals present and undamaged? (yes/no + photo) 6. Hinges — minimum 3, no missing screws, secure? (yes/no + photo) 7. Self-closer — present, working, door closes fully from 90 degrees? (yes/no) 8. Door holds open device — manual release working? (yes/no, if fitted) 9. Signage — correct fire door keep shut/keep locked sign? (yes/no + photo) 10. Vision panel — correct glazing grade, intact? (yes/no) 11. Overall condition — pass or fail? 12. Inspector signature? Fire door inspection record with photos. Fails flagged immediately to building manager.
Quickler reads your description and builds the WhatsApp question sequence. Your engineers answer on site. PDF produced automatically.
Start fire door inspections →Quickler runs through WhatsApp. No app install. Setup to first live workflow in under a week.