Responsibility for fire door inspections is one of the most common areas of confusion following Fire Risk Assessments.
This page is for landlords, managing agents and facilities managers who need to understand who is responsible for ensuring fire doors are inspected and maintained.
The starting point: the Responsible Person
In most buildings, responsibility for fire safety duties sits with the Responsible Person.
Depending on the building, this may be:
- the landlord
- a managing agent
- a building owner
- an employer
- a facilities management organisation
The Responsible Person must ensure fire safety measures remain effective.
What responsibility usually includes
For fire doors, this generally involves ensuring that doors:
- are inspected periodically
- are maintained in working order
- are repaired when defects are identified
- remain capable of performing their fire-resisting function
This responsibility normally forms part of wider fire safety management.
Who actually carries out the inspections
Although the Responsible Person holds legal responsibility, inspections may be carried out by others.
This may include:
- trained building staff
- facilities teams
- fire risk assessors
- specialist fire door inspectors
The key requirement is that inspections are carried out competently and consistently.
Where responsibility can become complex
In multi-occupancy buildings, responsibility may vary depending on:
- lease arrangements
- ownership boundaries
- who controls specific areas
For example, communal doors and flat entrance doors may fall under different responsibilities.
What inspectors usually expect
During Fire Risk Assessments, assessors generally look for evidence that:
✔ someone is clearly accountable
✔ inspections are taking place
✔ issues are being addressed
Uncertainty about responsibility itself can sometimes become a recorded finding.
