Looking for some advice from anyone with experience of Flats of Multiple Occupancy please!
Old building (circa 1700's) has been fully converted (post 1991) to include 4 self-contained flats. Each flat has 4 bedrooms, plus a shared living area and kitchen. Individuals are non-related so treated as 'bed-sit' environment. Building Control signed off, etc.
1 x flat on ground floor, 2 x flats on first floor, entrance to 4th flat is via doorway on first floor which leads up to second floor level.
Single central stairway is protected with FD30s doors entering on to communal stair.
Question raised is, do the doors to bedrooms and kitchen along the escape routes within the flats need to be fire/smoke resistant, if the travel distances from the furthest part of each flat, to the central protected stairway is within parameters of HM/DCLG Guidance for sleeping risks?
Table 3 of the HM/DCLG guide seem to show travel distances of 9m within bedroom (which is fine as we have less than 5m) and 18m to place of safety (in this case, travel distances from furthest part of any flat to the flat entrance door/stairway was 12m).
LACORS (case studies D13 & D14) suggest that there is no requirement for fire doors within flat, but sound, well constructed and close-fitting
conventional doors are required.
The doors to the bedrooms have no labels / certificates to evidence they are fire rated, but do have fire and smoke seals, and self-closing mechanisms. But hinges aren't fire rated, and we are not sure if the self closer is fire rated either. Handles are definitely not fire rated (domestic styles).
Other factors include suitable alarm systems in all flats, bedrooms and common parts. The doors entering the stairway are in poor condition and need replacing, but due to obvious cost factors, the client needs to know if they need to replace the bedroom and kitchen doors too?
FRA not much help - just said fire doors designed to protect means of escape are inadequate, but with no plan drawings / fire strategy, we as the building managers are left a little in the dark as to exactly what doors need replacing.
As always, any help / guidance always appreciated.
