Building and fire safety for council tenants and leaseholders

Leaseholder responsibilities

As a council homeowner, you must minimise fire risks and keep everyone safe, especially if you sublet your property.

Ealing Council does not inspect the inside of your home or make any safety adaptations. You must remove any fire risks.

Flat entrance door

Fire doors restrict and delay fires. They save lives.

Under the Fire Safety Act, both homeowners and landlords are responsible for making sure emergency escape routes are protected from smoke and fire.

The communal doors in your block are fire doors. Ealing Council is responsible for the self-closing doors in the corridors and staircases. Most leases will say that your front door is your responsibility.

If your flat entrance door opens onto a shared corridor, your flat entrance door and frame must be fire-rated for at least 30 minutes.

The council carries out fire risk assessments of the common parts in buildings. If your flat entrance door and frame do not meet regulations, you must replace it and have certification.

Replace non-fire doors with timber doors made to British Standard 476: Part 22: 1987 or British Standard EN 1634-1: 2000

Metal security grilles

Metal security grilles on front doors can prevent you from leaving quickly in a fire. The London Fire Brigade advises removing door grilles and using other security measures.

If a fire starts, the security grille could slow you down when trying to leave your home and the building.
Attaching grilles to council property is not allowed. They will be removed, and you will be charged.