How to persuade City Council to pay for front fire door.

HipHopAst

Good morning.
From 2012 I become council flat tenant. Rented from them for 3 years. Then in 2015 I bought flat using right to buy scheme.
When we move in we receive all documents and all seems to be neat. We receive energy performance, gas test report and electricity report. We did not receive that front doors not meet current fire requirements so we assumed that they are fine. Now in 2018 they send fire inspector to check ours door. We receive letter from them that we need to change doors and frame to be fine with fire regulations.
As during our occupation as council tenants front door has not been changed or upgraded and after we bought flat doors are stay this same. They have deliberately put as in danger by not ensuring front doors are FD30. Now when we bought this flat they try to put all financial expenses on our shoulders. Can we force them to pay for replace this doors as fire doors regulation are from 2005 so when we move in/bought property didn't even think they are not compliant with regulations. From 2005 to 2015 they put all residents in danger and now when we bought the property they try to force us to change doors as they don't need to pay for them.
They give us 3 options.
1. We replace them.
2. They replace them when we need it. Cost 1650 +vat
3. They replace when they want for 1500 +vat

Can we choose option 3 but force them to pay for doors as this door should be changed ages ago.
Or how much it could be cost to replace doors with overhead and sidelight panels.

Furts

Your flat and you pay. If you do not pay then that means you expect all other Council Tax payers in your area to chip in money to fund replacing your front door. This is being unreasonable.


If you went out with a clipboard survey and asked local people to pay increased Council Tax to fund your new door what answer do you expect?


Your flat purchase was Buyer Beware. Clearly you did not do a thorough survey before you purchased. Had you done so the Fire Door would not now come as a surprise.

HipHopAst

Ok fair enough.
But is should be done ages ago. What is there excuse to not replace this door in 10 years? That's mean I have 10 years to replace mine?
Any way how much it would cost to get it exchange by someone? Simple flush doors with out sidelight and overhead panel. How to get rid this panels? As at the moment they are glass one.
Can I ask them for sending me fire dorr certificat for period I rented from them. Included fire risk assessment?
Surrey they must have it for my doors and all other residents.

sevenhills

HipHopAst wrote: »

Good morning.
They give us 3 options.
1. We replace them.
2. They replace them when we need it. Cost 1650 +vat
3. They replace when they want for 1500 +vat

Can we choose option 3 but force them to pay for doors as this door should be changed ages ago.
Or how much it could be cost to replace doors with overhead and sidelight panels.

One door = £885, then you need to pay for fitting. Is yours a single flat?
You may get much cheaper, look around. I got a good discount when I bought my council house. Iff it is just your flat, are you concerned because of recent flat fires?





https://www.globaldoor.co.uk/fire-doors/the-4-panel-2-square-fire-door/

cranford

Its probably a good idea for you to have a fire door but do you know whether the council/fire regulators can make you have one fitted retrospectively? That could be why the council did not fit fire doors after the regulations were changed in 2005.
I suspect to have a proper job done to replace the door, the panels, the opening, to put on a door opener and door furniture could cost as much as the council quote.
Try at least two local door companies for a price.
Are you sure the quote is from the council and not from a company touting for work?

parking_question_chap

HipHopAst wrote: »

But is should be done ages ago.

In your first post


" We did not receive that front doors not meet current fire requirements so we assumed that they are fine."


Own due diligence.

another_casualty

When buying ex local authority flats , there could be unexpected costs at any time . There could be high service charges . The council may want to replace the windows and send out a list of costs. If someone were to do the windows theirselves ,the council could make you have the job done by the council and if the residents did I themselves they have lost a lot of money . This could be the same for doors .
I would think that the best solution is have the council replace the door and bill you accordingly . If this is done now , ( finance permitting) then at least it is out of the way .
I've known people who have had issues listed above , it may be relevant . It may not . Hope this helps anyway .

Debbie_Savard

Council pen-pushers hate those who have used right to buy, regarding it as theft from the deserving poor. I expect you're paying for someones holiday .

Tom_Jones

Mmmmm I'm not 100 percent sure of this, but the council cannot force you to change your front door it would only be a recommendation that it should be changed.

I've worked on many projects and some very old buildings, where the fire doors do not comply with current fire regs, but the owner is not obliged to upgrade the doors.

Furts

Fire Regs are very complex - which is one reason Grenfell Towers happened.


My intuition is there should always have ben a fire door to the flat and it is just nobody bothered, it got overlooked, or at some stage the door was renewed and the wrong one fitted. Basically, compartmenting a fire to a flat has always been a principle and this reqires a fire door to meet this.


OP can protest but doing so is selfish, anti social and endangering the lives of others in the flats. Personally I am left speechless by OP's attitude. For their safety and the safety of all around them a fire door should be fitted. Forget the Law, forget being a keyboard warrior. This is all about doing the decent thing and doing due diligence to all of mankind.