HMO fire door regulations 2025/26 — the London landlord checklist.

What actually changed in 2025

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 came into force in 2023 and were aimed initially at higher-risk residential buildings (over 11m). What changed through 2024 and 2025 is the way London councils now apply the spirit of those regulations to all licensable HMOs — even small five-bed HMOs in terraced housing.

Three specific shifts you need to know about:

1. Quarterly inspection expectation on fire doors in shared escape routes — now part of routine HMO licensing reviews across most London boroughs.
2. Stricter documentation requirements — councils now ask for installation records and photos, not just the fact that fire doors exist.
3. Tougher response to self-fitted or builder-fitted doors without paperwork — these are being rejected at re-licensing and the landlord asked to redo the installation properly.

The 2025/26 London HMO fire door checklist

Quarterly inspections — what to actually check

The quarterly inspection isn't complicated, but it must be written down and signed. Here's what we recommend logging on each visit:

1. Gap measurement at top, sides and bottom of each door. Note any change since last inspection.
2. Seal condition — intumescent strips and smoke seals intact, no paint, no peeling, no missing sections.
3. Closer function — door closes fully and latches from any open angle. No catching, no over-fast slam.
4. Hinge condition — three hinges per door, all CE/UKCA marked, no cracks, no missing screws.
5. Frame and threshold — no warping, frame still fixed properly, no damage from kicking or forced entry.
6. Glazing — if present, no cracks, intumescent glazing system intact.
7. Signage — "Fire door — keep shut" signs where required (see fire door keep-shut signs).

A template log sheet can be downloaded from most London council websites. Or just keep it in a notebook — signature, date, door reference, pass/fail per item.

What councils penalise — and what they're flexible on

Things that will fail a licensing inspection

• Non-certified doors (no manufacturer plug, no certificate, "looks like a fire door but isn't").
• Missing smoke seals (strips alone — not compliant for HMOs since 2018 guidance update).
• No self-closer fitted, or closer disabled / propped open.
• Damage to intumescent strips (often happens during decorating — get them replaced before inspection).
• No documentation pack. Even if doors are correct, councils now require the paperwork.

Things councils are usually flexible on (with paperwork)

• Original Victorian frames where they've been upgraded with intumescent kits.
• Minor cosmetic damage to the door face if structural integrity is intact and the fire risk assessor signs it off.
• FD30S vs FD60 in lower-rise HMOs where the fire risk assessment justifies FD30S.

What it costs to bring a non-compliant HMO up to standard

This varies massively by property, but as a 2026 baseline for a typical six-bed HMO with all doors needing replacement and full documentation:

• Survey + audit report: £180–£260.
• Six FD30S internal doors, supply and fit with documentation: £2,400–£3,200.
• Flat-entrance FD30S certified door set: £1,100–£1,650.
• Setting up the quarterly inspection log (template + first inspection): usually £0 if we just fitted the doors; £140–£190 standalone.

Full breakdown: fire door cost London.

Common questions

Does the quarterly inspection apply to my small 4-bed HMO?

If your borough's licensing scheme covers your property as a HMO and you have shared escape routes, the expectation is yes — quarterly inspections, in writing. Some smaller HMOs in non-licensable bands may have lighter requirements, but the safest position is: inspect every 3 months and log it.

Do I need a third-party certified installer?

It's not strictly required by statute, but in practice councils give less scrutiny when the installer has clean, traceable documentation for every door — manufacturer certificates, installation records, photographs, ironmongery list. That documentation pack is what we deliver on every Doorz London job.

What if my tenants damage the fire doors?

Reasonable wear and tear is normal. Significant damage — kicking, missing strips, broken closers — needs prompt repair. Document the damage, the cost, and either deduct from deposit at end of tenancy or invoice if the tenant is still in occupation. See our fire door repairs service for fast turnaround.

How long does a full HMO audit + remediation take?

Audit: same-day from photos, or 24-hour turnaround for an on-site survey. Remediation depends on door supply lead times — typically 7-10 working days from order to fitted, certified and signed off.

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