On Tuesday, 4 September 2012 11:36:04 UTC+1, Andy Dingley wrote:
On Sep 3, 3:30*pm, Adam Funk wrote:

from the owners to the effect that they weren't allowed to provide

doorstops because of fire regulations.



There seems to be no consistent policy (or implementation) over this

and it's the whim of local fire inspectors. Is wired glass essential,

or forbidden? Must perfectly good firedoors be removed and replaced,

for new ones with magic plastic plugs in their edges? Must new

intumescent strips be fitted to non firedoors (an awkward enough job),

despite not even bothering to check that the old strips have fallen

out of some of the old doors?



However you can wedge firedoors open (at a price) if you use magnetic

holdbacks that are self-closing in the event of a fire. I'd check with

your inspector first though.

Have just got back from staying in a four storey SC house with relatives. All doors had self closers on them, but there were wedges liberally distributed around.

There's nothing in BR which says that the doors cannot have wedges near them once the BR inspector has left; but their fire risk assessment should deal with it, and incoming tenants should be made aware that doors to the escape route must be kept closed at all times. If the temporary tenants then choose to ignore the clear guidelines, then the owners of the property aren't likely to be liable for any consequences.

A proper fire risk assessment might take account of other risks, such as absence of being able to hear distress around the house through closed doors, which might allow wedges to be used during times of high traffic, but require them not to be used at quieter times, or perhaps when the kitchen is being used.

Matt