LEGISLATION & STANDARDS
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
A plain-English guide to the Fire Safety Regulations 2022 by Daniel Storr, Founder & Managing Director · Last reviewed 11 September 2026
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 came into force on 23 January 2023. Most people call them the Fire Safety Regulations 2022. They sit beneath the Fire Safety Order and place specific, practical duties on the responsible person for blocks of flats. Regular fire door checks are the big one. The most detailed duties fall on taller buildings.
Where they came from
The Regulations are a direct response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 1 recommendations. They were made under the Fire Safety Order 2005 and apply to buildings in England that contain two or more sets of domestic premises. Rather than restate the general duties, they set out concrete tasks. The responsible person must carry them out and be able to show they did. The full text is on legislation.gov.uk, and the government has published a fact sheet for each regulation.
The fire door duties in the Fire Safety Regulations 2022
This is the part that matters most day to day. In buildings over 11 metres tall, Regulation 10 requires the responsible person to check the fire doors in the common parts at least every three months. They must also use best endeavours to check every flat entrance door at least once a year, self-closers included. In every building with two or more flats, whatever its height, residents must be given information about fire doors: keep them shut, don’t tamper with them or their closers, and report any faults. Our guides on how to check a fire door and fire door gaps cover what those checks look for.
Other duties, by building height
Alongside the fire door duties, the Regulations bring further obligations that step up with building height. For example, higher blocks must provide information to the fire and rescue service, install wayfinding signage and secure information boxes, and check lifts and other equipment. The taller and more complex the building, the more is required. However, the common thread is the same: do the task, and keep the evidence that you did.
What it means in practice
The Regulations turn the Fire Safety Order’s general duties into a schedule you can run and evidence. For managing agents, freeholders and registered providers, that means a repeatable inspection programme with consistent records. That is exactly how we work with block management and social housing clients. A Regulation 10 check on a door we have previously fully inspected costs £10 +VAT per door; see our fire door inspections page for the full price list.
Fire Safety Regulations 2022: common questions
Do the Fire Safety Regulations 2022 apply to buildings under 11 metres?
Yes, but with lighter duties. Every building with two or more flats must give residents fire door information and provide fire safety instructions. The quarterly and annual fire door checks only bite at 11 metres and above.
How do I measure the 11 metres?
Measure from ground level to the top floor surface, not the roof. As a rule of thumb, a block with four or more residential storeys is likely to be over 11 metres. If you are close to the line, get it measured rather than guess.
What if a resident refuses access for the annual flat door check?
The duty is to use best endeavours, so you must try. Record each attempt, write to the resident, and offer alternative dates. Keep that record with your fire safety documents so you can show the fire and rescue service what you did.