A licensed 6-bedroom South London HMO. No formal fire door inspection history. Licence renewal due in 8 weeks. Eight doors inspected , five failing. Full remediation completed. Licence renewed.
A straightforward situation that is more common than most landlords realise: a well-maintained HMO operating under licence for several years — but with no documented fire door inspection history when the council asked for evidence.
| Property Details | |
|---|---|
| Property type | Licensed HMO — 6 bedrooms across 3 storeys |
| Location | South London (SE postcode) |
| Year built | 1930s — Victorian mid-terrace converted to HMO |
| HMO licence status | Mandatory licence — renewal due within 8 weeks of enquiry |
| Fire doors in scope | 8 total: 6 bedroom doors, 1 kitchen door, 1 front entrance |
| Previous inspection history | No formal fire door inspection on record |
| Reason for enquiry | Council licence renewal notice requesting fire door compliance evidence |
Why this case is typical: This landlord had owned and managed the property for several years without any formal fire door inspection — a very common situation. The property was well-maintained and the landlord was conscientious. The council’s licence renewal notice requesting compliance evidence was the trigger for the first formal inspection. Had the inspection not been prompted by the renewal, the defects would have gone undetected indefinitely.
The visual inspection problem: The landlord had regularly walked the property and seen no obvious issues with any of the fire doors. Five of the eight doors had at least one significant defect — none detectable without a trained, close-range, component-by-component assessment. This is why a routine landlord check cannot substitute for a formal inspection.
An FDIS-certified Fire Doors Pro inspector visited within three days of the initial enquiry. The inspection took approximately two and a half hours covering all 8 fire doors with a full component-by-component assessment of each.
The landlord’s reaction: When the inspection report was provided the following day, the landlord confirmed that all doors “looked fine” during routine property visits. Door 02’s disconnected closer had been reported by a tenant as “a bit stiff” some weeks earlier — but without a formal inspection the significance of the disconnected arm had not been identified. This is entirely typical: the most dangerous defects are often not the most visible ones.
Each failing door is examined below — the specific defect, why it compromised fire safety, and the remediation carried out.
The intumescent seal on the hinge edge and head of the door had been fully covered by at least two coats of paint during previous redecoration. The seal was physically present but completely unable to expand and activate under heat — rendering it functionally absent. Additionally, the gap at the head measured 4.5mm against a 3mm maximum. Remediation: Full intumescent and smoke seal replacement (existing seals cannot be stripped — the groove must be cleared and fresh seals installed). Gap rectification by minor door adjustment.
The overhead door closer was present, but the arm connecting the closer to the door leaf had become detached from the mounting plate. The door swung freely with no resistance — zero fire protection. A tenant had reported the door feeling “stiff” some weeks earlier, but without a formal inspection the critical nature of the disconnection had not been identified. Remediation: New certified overhead closer (BS EN 1154 compliant) supplied and installed on the day of the remedial works visit — immediately following report issue as a Critical defect.
One of the three hinges had been replaced with a standard stainless steel hinge at some point during previous maintenance — physically similar to the original fire-rated hinge but carrying no certification markings. The door’s certified performance as a complete assembly could not be guaranteed with a non-certified component present. The two original hinges were retained. Remediation: Single hinge replaced with a certified fire-rated equivalent compatible with the door’s specification. No other defects on this door.
The certification plug on the hinge edge had been completely obscured by paint during redecoration. An investigative probe located the plug beneath the paint — confirming the door was originally certified to FD30S standard. The gap at the threshold measured 5mm against a 4mm maximum — classified as Advisory given the borderline reading and the presence of a threshold seal. Remediation: Certification plug carefully re-exposed and documented with photographs. Threshold seal adjusted. Both findings documented in the updated compliance certificate.
The intumescent threshold seal was entirely absent — not worn, not deteriorated, simply never present or removed without replacement. The cold smoke seal on the door stop had perished along approximately 60% of the door’s perimeter, with visible gaps in continuity. This door allowed cold smoke passage through the base and significant sections of the sides. Remediation: New certified intumescent threshold seal supplied and fitted. Full cold smoke seal replacement on all four sides of the door perimeter.
The kitchen door (D03), Bedroom 5 (D06), and the front entrance door (D08) all passed on all components — self-closer, seals, hinges, gaps, ironmongery, vision panels, and certification marks. Notably, these three doors had all been replaced within the previous five years by the landlord following tenant damage — which is why they were to current specification. This reinforces the value of using certified replacement doors rather than like-for-like or DIY-store replacements.
All remedial works were carried out by Fire Doors Pro in a single visit two days after the inspection report was issued. The landlord was present throughout and had coordinated access with all tenants in advance.
| Work Carried Out | Door(s) | Materials Used | Cost (indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intumescent & smoke seal replacement (full perimeter) | D01 | Certified FD30S intumescent and cold smoke seals, perimeter matched | £85 |
| Gap rectification at door head | D01 | Door adjustment — no materials required | £45 |
| Overhead door closer supply and installation | D02 | Certified overhead closer, BS EN 1154 compliant, medium-duty | £145 |
| Single hinge replacement | D04 | Certified fire-rated hinge, 100mm, brushed stainless finish | £50 |
| Certification plug investigation, re-exposure and documentation | D05 | Investigative work and photographic documentation — no materials | £40 |
| Threshold seal adjustment and documentation | D05 | Minor adjustment to existing threshold seal | £30 |
| Intumescent threshold seal supply and installation | D07 | Certified intumescent threshold seal, correct width for gap | £55 |
| Cold smoke seal replacement (full perimeter) | D07 | Certified brush smoke seal, all four sides | £65 |
| FDIS-certified inspection (8 doors) | All | Full digital report, photos, compliance cert, remedial schedule | £215 |
| Total Project Cost (inspection + all remedial works) — inc. VAT | £730 | ||
All works completed within one week of the initial enquiry. The inspection was carried out on Day 3, the report issued on Day 4, remedial works completed on Day 5, and the post-remediation sign-off visit and compliance certificate issued on Day 6. The landlord submitted the documentation to the local council on Day 7 as part of the HMO licence renewal application. The licence was renewed without any conditions relating to fire doors.
We had no idea the fire doors were in that condition — they all looked absolutely fine to us. The inspection report was really clear and the photographs made every finding completely obvious. Having Fire Doors Pro carry out the repairs as well saved us a great deal of time chasing separate contractors, and the documentation was exactly what the council needed for our licence renewal.
HMO landlord, South London SE postcode — name and address withheld at client requestFour things any HMO landlord should take from this project — regardless of how well-maintained they believe their property to be.
Five of eight fire doors had significant defects — none of which were apparent on routine property visits by an experienced landlord. A painted-over intumescent seal, an obscured certification mark, a non-certified hinge and a disconnected closer arm all look normal during a walk-through. They are not detectable without a trained, close-range, component-by-component assessment. Formal inspection is not optional — it is the only way to confirm compliance.
Two of the five failing doors had seals that had been painted over during redecoration — a very common finding in properties decorated without specialist fire door awareness. In any property that has been redecorated since the fire doors were installed, painted-over seals should be assumed until inspected. This is one of the easiest defects to miss and one of the most safety-critical in a fire scenario.
This landlord had a licence renewal due in 8 weeks when they contacted us — enough time, but only just. Had there been more serious defects requiring door replacement rather than component remediation, or had access been difficult to arrange, the timeline would have been tight. Do not wait for a council notice to initiate fire door compliance. Annual inspection as a routine means compliance is documented continuously, not scrambled for at renewal time.
£730 including inspection and all remedial works — for a 6-bedroom South London HMO generating significantly more than that in monthly rental income. Compare this to the cost of a prohibition notice stopping all rental income, a licence revocation, or the consequences of a fire in a property where fire door compliance had never been properly evidenced. The cost of compliance is not a significant burden — it is a standard cost of responsible HMO management.
8 of 8 fire doors passing on post-remediation sign-off
Zero outstanding defects at project completion
Full digital inspection report with photographic evidence of every defect and every remediation
Building-level compliance certificate issued for all 8 fire doors
HMO licence renewed without any fire door conditions attached
Total project cost: £730 inc. VAT — inspection and all remediation included
If your HMO has no formal fire door inspection history, there is a strong probability some of your doors have significant defects
Common triggers: HMO licence renewal, council inspection, change of fire risk assessor, or a compliance review
The most cost-effective approach is proactive inspection — before issues become urgent, enforcement-driven, or safety-critical
Fire Doors Pro offers same-week inspections across London and the South East, with 48-hour report turnaround
Every inspection produces documentation formatted to support HMO licence applications and council requests
Everything this case study demonstrates and more: which doors, what spec, what frequencies.
Every defect type found in this case study, why it matters, and what remediation it requires.
Statutory duties, inspection requirements and how to stay ahead of licence renewal deadlines.
Transparent pricing for inspection and all remedial works across London and the South East.