Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 for flats

The fire safety england regulations 2022 placed new duties on anyone who controls the common parts of a building containing two or more dwellings. That means the rules apply whether you manage a large tower in Bexleyheath or a small converted house with four flats in Erith. The law does not exempt smaller blocks.

These requirements sit alongside existing fire safety regulations for blocks of flats, which already demand a suitable risk assessment and general precautions. What changed in January 2023 was the addition of specific, recurring tasks that the responsible person must complete and record. If you are unsure whether these duties fall to you as a freeholder, managing agent or landlord, read about who the [responsible person](/compliance/who-is-the-responsible-person) is under fire safety law.

For buildings over 18 metres or seven storeys, further obligations exist around external wall systems and monthly checks of firefighting equipment. But the core duties described here apply to every multi-occupied residential building in the borough.

Every communal fire door in the building must be checked at least once every three months. A competent person carries out this inspection by looking at the door leaf, frame, hinges, seals and self-closing device to confirm they work as intended. They do not need to be a registered installer, but they must know what a compliant fire door looks like and how it should operate. Find out exactly what to record during [quarterly fire door checks](/compliance/fire-door-checks-quarterly) in flats.

Separate from those communal inspections, the flat entrance door inspection rules require the responsible person to use best endeavours to check each front door annually. These doors separate individual homes from shared escape routes, so their condition matters. Where residents will not grant access, the law expects evidence of repeated attempts: dated letters, emails or notes of visits. Keep every piece of correspondence. A specialist firm can perform both the [fire door inspections](/fire-door-inspection) and the record keeping if you prefer not to handle them yourself.

You must provide every household with clear instructions on what to do if a fire breaks out. This includes how to evacuate, how to raise the alarm and why keeping communal corridors free of belongings matters. Hand this information out when someone moves in and repeat it at least once a year. It forms part of your wider duty to keep people informed, much like preparing a [fire evacuation plan](/fire-evacuation-plans) that sets out escape routes and roles.

Wayfinding signage requirements for flats mean installing floor and flat number indicators in all stairwells and lobbies. These signs help firefighters orient themselves in smoke-filled conditions. They are required in every building covered by the regulations, including a two-storey conversion. The signs must be visible in low light. If your building lacks them, a specialist firm can advise on placement and specification as part of a broader [compartmentation survey](/compartmentation-survey) or [fire strategy report](/fire-strategy).

Every check, attempt to gain access and piece of information given to residents needs recording. Store these details in a format you can produce if the local fire authority asks. A physical log book or a digital file both work, provided entries are dated and signed. Read what a [fire safety log book](/news/fire-safety-log-book-for-your-building-what-to-record) should contain for your building.

If quarterly checks have been missed, start doing them now. There is no formal amnesty, but enforcement officers look for genuine effort to comply rather than immediate perfection. Schedule the overdue inspections, complete them, and document why the gap happened along with the steps taken to prevent it repeating. A specialist firm can carry out the backlog of inspections and set up a recurring programme so the responsible person duties from 2022 stay on track without constant worry.