Are you looking to sell your property? If so, has your fire risk assessment been conducted?

It is the question catching more and more sellers off guard. You have your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), your fittings and contents forms, and your leasehold pack ready, but what about your fire safety compliance?

In the current UK property market, we are seeing a rising trend where property completions are being severely delayed or falling through entirely. The cause is rarely structural defects or valuation disputes, but rather the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA).

Many sellers are finding that their fire doors and communal fire safety standards are not up to scratch, leaving them with little time to rectify issues before a buyer pulls out.

The “Solicitor’s Surprise”

For many vendors, the issue only comes to light when highlighted by the buyer’s solicitor during the enquiry stage.

Historically, conveyancing might have glossed over the finer details of communal fire safety. However, following the introduction of the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Building Safety Act 2022, the landscape has changed. Lenders are increasingly risk-averse; they do not want to lend on a property that could represent a safety liability.

When a solicitor requests the building’s Fire Risk Assessment and it is either missing, out of date, or filled with unresolved “high priority” actions, the sale grinds to a halt. This often leaves property owners scrambling to find an accredited assessor to carry out the fire risk assessment quickly so contracts can exchange and completion dates are hit.

It Doesn’t Just Apply To Larger Blocks

There is a common misconception that strict fire safety rules only apply to large, purpose-built blocks of flats. This is no longer the case.

We are seeing cases of sales delays increasing across the board, but specifically for converted houses. Even a simple “one up, one down” Victorian conversion is subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 if there is a shared area.

If you share a front door and a hallway with just one other flat, that hallway is classed as a ‘shared area’, as such:

1. It requires a legal Fire Risk Assessment.
2. The doors leading onto that hallway (your front door) must be compliant Fire Doors.

Solicitors are now routinely asking for FRAs for these smaller conversions. If you own a Share of Freehold in a converted house, the responsibility often falls on you and your neighbour to ensure this assessment is done. Ignoring it until the sale process begins is a recipe for delay.

What Are They Looking For?

A major sticking point in these delays is the flat entrance door. In a block of flats or a converted house, your front door is not just a door; it is a critical safety device designed to hold back fire and smoke for a minimum of 30 minutes (FD30) to protect the escape route for your neighbours.

During the sales process, surveyors and fire risk assessors are flagging the following common failures:

• Missing Self-Closers: This is the most common failure. Every flat entrance door opening onto a shared escape route must have a working self-closing device that shuts the door completely into its latch from any angle.
• The “Gap”: If the gap between the door and the frame is more than 3-4mm, smoke can pass through.
• Intumescent Strips: These are the seals that expand under heat to seal the door. Often, these have been painted over during redecoration or are missing entirely.
• Certification: Can you prove it is a fire door? Solicitors may ask for a certificate of installation or evidence of the fire rating (such as a visible plug or label on the top edge of the door).

The Cost of Waiting

If you are preparing to sell, waiting until a solicitor asks the question is a risky strategy.

If a Fire Risk Assessment identifies that your front door is non-compliant, you may be required to replace it before the sale can proceed. Ordering a bespoke, certified fire door and finding an accredited installer can take weeks.

In a property chain, a delay of weeks usually results in a collapsed sale.

How to Prepare: A Checklist for Sellers

Don’t leave your fire safety to the last minute. Before you put your property on the market, take these proactive steps:

1. Locate the FRA: Ask your managing agent or freeholder for the most recent Fire Risk Assessment immediately. Ensure it is less than 12 months old (or reviewed within that time).
2. Check the Action Plan: If you have the FRA, look at the significant findings. Have the remedial works been done? 
3. Check Your Door: Does your front door have a working closer? Are the seals intact? If not, fix these issues now, on your own timeline, rather than under the pressure of a completion date.

How Expyro Can Help

At Expyro, we specialise in unblocking these sales bottlenecks. We understand the urgency of a property transaction.

Whether you are a leaseholder needing a Fire Risk Assessment or a Fire Door Inspection or upgrade to satisfy a surveyor, we can help.

• Rapid Turnaround: We know time is of the essence in a sale.
• Comprehensive Reports: Our assessments are clear, compliant, and designed to satisfy solicitors and lenders.
• Remedial Solutions: If your door fails, we don’t just tell you; we can fix it.

Don’t let a piece of paper stand between you and your completion date. Ensure your compliance is clear, so your sale can proceed with confidence.

Contact Expyro today to schedule your assessment:

Phone – 01702 746 808

Email – contact@expyro.com