Health and Safety fire regulations vs insurance cover?
Whilst most insurance companies stipulate that the final exit from communal areas must be protected by a mortice type lock as opposed to a Yale style lock, Health and Safety regulations say exactly the opposite.
They state that the exit must not require a key to enable a quick emergency exit, which may be in darkness or clouded by smoke!
Entirely understandable, but what should be done about these opposing requirements? How have other landlords dealt with it? Do you protect tenants and lose fire cover when your building goes up in flames?
If any fire officers read this, their comments would be interesting, or insurance assessors. I doubt whether any appropriate civil servants would be inclined to offer views which may not reflect the official dictat.
Many thanks
Grahame
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Member Since September 2023 - Comments: 27
10:27 AM, 30th July 2026, About 11 hours ago
Hi. I’m a landlord and I have done hhsrs and fire safety courses. We fit euro cylinders with internal thumb turns which are five lever locks to satisfy insurance policies and provide keyless exit ( you can also fit a master system which is worth every penny ). A similar dilemma exists with windows. Our licence conditions stipulate locks with keys, fire regulations suggest exit without a key. As a fire officer on the course said to me ” do you want to answer to a coroner in the case of a tenants death”. We do not provide keys as DG window locks are secure from outside.
I think a much bigger issue is smoke alarms. One separate alarm on each floor is not sufficient. Linked alarms in every room are needed. In the event of a fire anywhere in the property, the alarm should provide, if I remember correctly, 75 decibels at the bedhead. Alarms downstairs or even on the landing do not provide this.
This is in the fire regulations and ignorance of this is no excuse.
As a landlord, nobody will be on your side in the event of a tragedy. Unfortunately, you will be seen as the guilty party by all official parties. You need to protect yourself.
Member Since January 2015 - Comments: 1541 - Articles: 1
10:28 AM, 30th July 2026, About 11 hours ago
Door entry intercom systems cannot work if using mortice locks on a block of flats main communal front door.
Member Since November 2020 - Comments: 75
11:00 AM, 30th July 2026, About 11 hours ago
If I am clear on your question, I think we have a property with a thumb turn lock on the inside of a mortice dead lock front door, thereby permitting escape without a key. There are many of these available. I have just noticed a previous post to this effect!
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2276 - Articles: 2
12:10 PM, 30th July 2026, About 9 hours ago
Reply to the comment left by Accommod8 at 30/07/2026 – 11:00
I have magnetic locks on all the exit doors, They open automatically in the event that the fire alarm is triggered and are fail safe in the event of a power failure. The initial installation bill made my eys water!
Member Since April 2020 - Comments: 79 - Articles: 51
4:01 PM, 30th July 2026, About 6 hours ago
Euro locks are multi-lever mortice locks and if fitted with thumb-turns on the inside meet both insurance and fire safety requirements.
For electrical operation then electric striker plates can be fitted which can gave electrical release (must fail to unlocked on mains fail) for use with code-locks and e-tag locks.
Landlords must consider safety of life first and then find an instance policy that fits and not the other way around!
Phil Turtle Fire Risk Assessor and HHSRS practitioner