Student Accommodation

Purpose-built student accommodation blocks above 11 metres typically need FD60S at protected stairway entrances and on doors between flats / cluster units and the protected escape route. Within each cluster flat, FD30S is generally sufficient at bedroom doors. The fire strategy for the building will specify exactly where each rating is required.

Buildings above 18 metres fall under the highest tier of the Act — they require an Accountable Person, are overseen by the Building Safety Regulator, and need a digital "golden thread" of building information including every fire door's make, model, certification, and inspection history. Buildings between 11 and 18 metres still have the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 obligations: quarterly inspections of communal fire doors and annual inspections of flat entrance doors.

Legally there is no blanket prohibition, but most universities and PBSA owners now contractually require FIRAS or BM TRADA certified installers for fire door work. This is partly an insurance requirement and partly an audit requirement under the Building Safety Act — using uncertified labour creates documentation gaps that fail BSR inspection.

Under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022: communal fire doors must be inspected at least every 3 months; flat entrance doors at least annually. Most large PBSA providers inspect communal doors monthly during term time because of the heavy use. Every inspection should be logged with date, inspector, defects found and remedial action taken.