Fire Safety in New build properties

dimbo61

Hi I am interested in finding out the level of fire safety required in two storey new build properties.
So to all the Moneysavingexpert readers of this forum who live in "New build properties " can I ask does your home have, mains wired interlinked smoke alarms on each floor, heat alarm in the kitchen, 30 minute fire doors from the kitchen to other rooms, turn lock escape exit doors.
Escape lighting I.E. little green/ red lighting in the hallway/landing which illuminates the escape route at night.

PasturesNew

What is a "new build"? Mine's 2010 and has hard wired smoke detectors.... but no heat alarm in the kitchen, doors don't look like fire doors, no turn/lock escape exit doors.

When did that lot appear? I think you're imagining it

[Deleted User]

2013 here and other than hard wired smoke alarms I have none of the other stuff.

tim9966

My 2017 built house does have mains wired linked smoke alarms on both floors.


The kitchen door is the same as all the other internal doors.


The front door can be opened from the inside without a key.

daveyjp

If only the OP had given an indication of the type of property they are talking about.

Lunchbox

Ours is 2015. It has everything you mention except the ‘escape lighting’ - I don’t think this appears in the building regs?

I think they also specify FD30s from all ‘living spaces’ on to any main corridor that would form an escape route, not just the kitchen, so that’s bedrooms and living room as well. Most people won’t recognise them as fire doors as they don’t need to be particularly substantial, like normal internal doors but with an intumescent strip around the frame.

00ec25

"new build" means it has been built in accordance with the building regulations applicable at the time it was built

so rather than ask for anecdotes, why not read the building regs...?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-approved-document-b

martindow

There's an article in the Guardian today regarding some flats in Manchester


https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/sep/21/owners-manchester-flats-bills-safety-failings-fire-brigade-new-lawrence-house


It's something of a scandal that even post-Grenfell any action on fire safety seems to become embroiled in interminable legal disputes over who pays

AdrianC

00ec25 wrote: »

"new build" means it has been built in accordance with the building regulations applicable at the time it was built

so rather than ask for anecdotes, why not read the building regs...?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-approved-document-b

Quite.

And if you want stuff in excess of that, then either pay the builder to install it during first-/second-fit electrical, or get it done after you move in.

AdrianC

martindow wrote: »

There's an article in the Guardian today regarding some flats in Manchester

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/sep/21/owners-manchester-flats-bills-safety-failings-fire-brigade-new-lawrence-house

It's something of a scandal that even post-Grenfell any action on fire safety seems to become embroiled in interminable legal disputes over who pays

Seems to be a simple one. The freeholder gets the work done, and pays.

Whether the freeholder can then recoup his money from somebody else is another question.


I can't see any reason whatsoever why the organisation who signed-off on the building regs at the time of build, nearly a decade ago, should pay for the work to be done - whether they should have signed it off or not.
The original developer no longer exists.


If the freeholder does ends up paying, then he has a choice. He can recoup that from the leaseholders via the service charge, probably involving an s20, or chalk it up to inadequate pre-purchase DD on his own behalf.


But one thing's for sure - throwing court cases around doesn't get the work done, and doesn't get the leaseholders back into their homes...

gettingtheresometime

New builds in Wales have to have sprinklers fitted.