Fire Door Inspections Across The South East

Every fire door inspection is grounded in technical evidence and delivered with the documentation responsible persons, property managers, and landlords need to ensure full compliance with legal fire safety obligations.

Book an inspection Call 0333 339 7225

Close-up of a CE-marked fire-rated hinge fitted to a timber fire door

Vanguard engineer inspecting the hinges of a timber fire door

Why Fire Door Inspections Matter

Fire doors are critical components of a building’s passive fire protection system, designed to contain the spread of fire and smoke, protect escape routes, and save lives but poor installation, unauthorised alterations or wear and tear over time can compromise their integrity, often without anyone realising.

As the responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, it is your legal duty to ensure fire doors are maintained in working order and inspected at appropriate intervals.

How Often Should Fire Doors Be Inspected?

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 specify:

Buildings under 11 metres
While not legally mandated, it is best practice to follow industry guidance, which recommends:
- Communal Fire Doors: should be inspected at least every 6 months, or more frequently if doors are subject to high use or wear.
- Flat Entrance Doors: an annual inspection remains the standard recommendation.
Regular fire door inspections play a critical role in maintaining building safety, reducing risk, and supporting compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Buildings over 11 metres
Under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, multi-occupied residential buildings over 11 metres must meet mandatory fire door inspection frequencies:
- Communal Fire Doors: must be checked every 3 months to ensure they close correctly, are free from damage, and function as intended.
- Flat Entrance Doors: must be inspected annually to verify they provide adequate protection in the event of fire.
These checks help maintain compartmentation and safe evacuation routes in line with legal requirements.

What We Inspect

Our certified inspections cover every critical component and performance factor of the fire door set, including:

Fire rating classification (Certified, Nominal, or Notional)
Certification labels, plugs, and documentation
Integrity of door leaf and frame
Gaps and tolerances (typically 2-4mm at the sides/head and 10mm or less at the threshold)
Intumescent seals and smoke brushes
Fire-rated hinges and correct ironmongery
Door closers and self-latching mechanisms
Condition of glazing and vision panels
Compliance of installation and surrounding compartmentation

All inspections are carried out in accordance with third-party certification requirements (where applicable) and our internal procedures under the LPCB LPS 1197 scheme.

What You Receive

Following inspection, we provide:

A full digital report detailing the condition and compliance status of each door
Photographic evidence of defects and critical components
Clear pass/fail grading system to help prioritise remedial actions
Recommendations for repairs or replacements aligned with current legislation
Certification documentation (where required)

These reports are designed to give you clarity and confidence in your building’s fire door compliance status, supporting audits, FRA reviews, and insurance requirements.

We Cover

Sussex
Hampshire
Kent
London
Brighton
Surrey

Our Expertise

When you choose Vanguard Fire Protection for fire door inspections, you benefit from accredited expertise:

LPCB third-party certificated works. Evidence-led reporting you can act on.

LPCB Certified

Our commitment to quality is underscored by our Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) certification, providing independent assurance of our competence and adherence to strict standards for fire door installation across the South Coast.

IFSM Affiliated

Our affiliation with the Institute of Fire Safety Managers (IFSM) reflects our dedication to upholding the highest professional standards and staying at the forefront of fire safety best practices for fire door contractors.

Residential corridor with a timber flat entrance fire door and a glazed communal fire door

Why Choose Vanguard for Fire Door Inspections?

Third-party certified through LPCB to carry out inspections and remedial works
Trusted by leading FM and property management companies across the South East
Fully digital reporting for traceability, speed, and ease of access
Expert understanding of complex door classifications and historical construction standards
Cost-effective remedial solutions provided with full transparency

Ensure Compliance, Reduce Risk, Protect Lives

If you manage a residential block, commercial building, or public facility, regular fire door inspections are not just best practice, they’re a legal requirement.

Book your fire door inspection with Vanguard Fire Protection today and gain full confidence in your fire safety compliance.

Book an inspection Call 0333 339 7225

Comprehensive Fire Protection Services

Operating across the South East, Vanguard Fire Protection offers a full spectrum of certified passive fire solutions, designed to protect your assets and occupants, including:

Fire Compartmentation Surveys
Detailed assessment of your building’s fire-resisting walls and floors to identify breaches or non-compliances that will increase the likelihood of rapid fire spread, giving your a clear understanding of what must be done to retain fire separation.
Fire Door Inspections
Thorough, certified inspections of your fire doors to support you in your legal duties and to keep on top of any issues affecting their functionality as fire safety equipment.
Fire Door Installations
From design to sign off, our expert team will ensure every detail of your fire door installations meet the strict tested specification. Resulting in a fire door that not only holds back fire and smoke, but is in-keeping with your buildings design.
Fire Door Maintenance
Proactive maintenance maximising your fire doors life-cycle and ensuring they are always ready to prevent the spread of fire and smoke.
Firestopping Installations
Compliant, clean firestopping applications to openings of services such as cables, pipes and ducting within fire-rated compartments to slow the spread of fire and smoke, supporting a safe escape in an emergency.

One connected programme, not three separate jobs

This service fits into the ARM Process: we establish where your buildings stand, put the physical work right, then keep you compliant year after year. Start at any stage, you are never committed to the next one.

Assess

Fire door inspections, fire risk assessments and fire compartmentation surveys that establish exactly where you stand today.

Fire door inspections
Fire risk assessments (Type 1 and Type 3)
Fire compartmentation surveys and plans

Book a survey

Reinstate

Fire door remediation, replacement and firestopping, carried out against the findings rather than a generic scope.

Fire door repairs and upgrades
Fire door replacement and installation
Firestopping installation

Get a quote

Maintain

Fire door maintenance contracts that keep your buildings compliant as they age, on a schedule you can plan a budget around.

Maintain Essential: inspections, gap adjustment, hinge servicing
Maintain Plus: adds seal replacement and closer adjustment
Maintain Premier: adds filler repair and lock servicing