Passive fire protection (PFP) might not be the most glamorous part of property management, but it’s one of the most critical, especially in a post-Grenfell world.

If you’re a landlord, letting agent, or work with a housing association, understanding and investing in passive fire protection could save lives and keep you compliant with tightening legislation.

So, what is passive fire protection, what’s changed in the law since Grenfell, and what do you really need to know to keep you on the right side of the regulations?

 

What is passive fire protection (PFP)?

Passive fire protection refers to the features of a building that help contain fires, slow their spread, and protect escape routes. These can include things like:

  • Fire doors of course!
  • Fire-resistant walls, ceilings, and floors
  • Compartmentation (dividing buildings into zones to contain fire)
  • Fire-stopping materials around pipes and cables

Passive systems like these are always on, and working silently in the background, and you live alongside them without even realising that they have the ability to protect… unlike active systems – like sprinklers or alarms – which only kick into action when things start to hot up (and you’re likely to notice them working, too)!

 

Why is passive fire protection so important?  

For those managing HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation), high-rise blocks, or social housing, passive fire protection is a legal and moral responsibility.

It’s not just about compliance, it’s about ensuring residents have time to escape and fire crews can do their jobs safely, and you can rest, safe in the knowledge that you have provided the very best protection to your tenants.

However, there are also financial penalties attached to failing to deliver the correct level of fire protection in a rented property. For serious breaches, fines can be unlimited and carry a prison term of up to two years. This isn’t something to get wrong, or attempt.

 

Post-Grenfell: What’s changed?

The Grenfell Tragedy in June 2017, and the subsequent report exposed serious flaws in building safety practices across the UK. In response, sweeping changes have been made to fire safety legislation, especially for those managing multi-occupancy buildings.

Key changes include:

All of the changes have been designed to increase safety to residents and firefighting professionals, ensure equipment provided is adequately maintained and suitable for use, and that buildings are designed, built and maintained in a matter that promotes the very highest level of safety standards.

Moving forwards, standards are likely to continue to tighten. Currently, The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 mean it is a legal requirement for the responsible persons for all multi-occupied residential buildings in England with storeys over 11 metres in height to undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors (including self-closing devices) in the common parts, and undertake (on a best endeavour basis) annual checks of all flat entrance doors (including self-closing devices) that lead onto a building’s common parts. It is possible that these requirements may widen to properties under the 11 metre height range.

On a side note, you may question what ‘best endeavour’ means in this requirement – you may well be right to be confused! The annual check of the entrance doors to individual properties is of course dependent on your tenant granting you access to their home to check the door properly. Thy have the ability to deny access – in the same way they can deny access for any legally required checks – but you must be able to show that you have made every effort to carry out the checks, written proof of request etc is important. And remember, you must provide a 24 hours’ written notice period, and get your tenant’s consent, before gaining access to their home.

 

Your first line of defence

At All About Fire Doors, we specialise in compliant fire door installation, inspections and maintenance across London.

We work closely with landlords, letting agents, and housing providers to:

  • Install certified fire doors – we are third-party certified by BM TRADA for both fire door installation and maintenance
  • Perform legally required inspections, taking the pressure off
  • Taking care of any maintenance issues
  • Help you stay on the right side of the law

Fire safety legislation isn’t going away. If anything, it’s only going to get more robust and more rigorously enforced.

For property professionals, it’s time to stop viewing passive fire protection as a tick-box exercise and start seeing it for what it really is: a vital, life-saving system built into your building, and your business.