For care and nursing homes
Our care home fire door inspections in London check that every door closes and holds back smoke, even when residents cannot move quickly. We work calmly with your staff and plan visits around daily routines.
Fire doors in care settings
Many residents cannot leave quickly in a fire. Most care homes move people sideways into a safe part of the building instead.
That plan only works if the doors between each part hold back fire and smoke. A care home fire door inspection checks that they will.
Residents often like their doors open, and staff need clear routes for trolleys and hoists. Hold-open devices make that safe.
Each one must let go of the door the moment the fire alarm sounds. We test every device with the alarm.
If your group also runs offices or supported housing, our wider fire door inspections in London bring the same care to every site.
Homes with many alarm-linked doors often add care home fire door testing to their regular checks.
What we check
Care homes need every door to work every time. These are the checks we take most care over.
Each device must let go when the alarm sounds.
Doors that move freely must still close on alarm.
Each resident’s door checked for gaps, seals and closing.
Doors that split floors into safe zones for moving residents.
Glass that lets staff see in must be fire rated.
Signs that tell staff a door closes on alarm.
How it works
We follow your lead. Your staff know the residents, and we plan the visit with them.
We agree quiet times and any rooms to avoid.
Hold-open devices are tested in a planned alarm test.
Residents are told before we knock and enter.
A clear report you can show inspectors.
Other building types
Run other buildings too? We inspect fire doors in all of these.
We inspect all care and health settings. Tell us more.
Ask for a quoteYour records
Inspectors want to see that fire doors are checked and fixed. Your report shows both.
Common faults
These faults are common in busy care homes. Each one can stop a door working in a fire.
Wedges and chairs used instead of hold-open devices.
Hold-opens not linked properly to the alarm.
Hoists, beds and trolleys knock doors and frames.
Closers that do not shut the door in time.
Seals damaged by daily cleaning and wear.
Bedroom locks fitted without fire-rated parts.
Pricing
Care homes are priced per door, plus a set rate for each hold-open device tested.
| Work | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Fire door inspection (under 50 doors) | £35–£65per door |
| Fire door inspection (50+ doors) | £20–£40per door |
| Hold-open device test with alarm | £15–£35per device |
| Minimum inspection visit | £300–£600per visit |
Guide prices updated October 2026. Your fixed quote follows a visit or survey.
Bedrooms, compartment doors and hold-open tests.
£1,875–£3,625
Two floors of bedrooms plus kitchens and stairs.
£2,400–£5,000
More doors lowers the rate per door.
Each device is tested with the alarm.
Visits may be split to suit residents.
Planned around your weekly test.
Areas covered
We inspect fire doors in care and nursing homes in every London borough.
Many London care homes are in converted older buildings, where doors and frames are often a mix of ages. We know how to check them.
Care groups with several homes can keep every site on the same plan and report format.
Central London
North London
East London
South London
West London
More for care homes
These services help care homes keep doors working between inspections.
Measured tests of closers and hold-opens.
View serviceRegular servicing for busy care home doors.
View serviceNew doors where damage is too great to repair.
View serviceNew doorsets for extensions and refits.
View serviceFAQ
What care home managers and owners ask us most.
Yes. In most care homes, bedroom doors are fire doors that must close on their own or on the fire alarm. They protect residents who may not be able to leave quickly. Most care homes plan to move residents sideways into a safe area, not out of the building. Fire doors make that plan work, so they must close every time.
Yes, with a hold-open device or free-swing closer linked to the fire alarm. Wedges, chairs and door stops must never be used on fire doors. Free-swing closers let residents open the door without effort, then close it when the alarm sounds. They suit residents who find doors heavy.
At least every 6 months, and hold-open devices should be tested whenever the fire alarm is tested. Many homes choose quarterly checks because doors wear so quickly. Keep each report and alarm test record together. Inspectors often ask to see both side by side. If equipment often knocks doors, such as beds and hoists, a short monthly look by maintenance staff is worth adding.
CQC inspectors can look at fire safety as part of safe care. The fire service can also carry out audits. A dated report with photos is clear evidence your doors are checked. If faults are found, show the repair dates too. Inspectors want to see that problems are fixed, not just found.
Usually £35–£65 per door on smaller homes, plus £15–£35 per device for hold-open tests, before VAT. Larger homes get a lower rate per door. We can split the visit into short sessions to fit around care routines. That does not change the price per door. The report includes prices for any repairs, so you can plan the work and budget for it.
We work quietly and follow your staff’s lead. Residents are told before we enter, and we can avoid rooms at certain times or come back later. Our team is used to working in care settings. We speak quietly, explain what we are doing and leave rooms as we found them.
The Fire Safety Order 2005 names the Responsible Person. In a care home, that is usually the provider or owner. The home manager often runs the day-to-day checks. The registered manager should know when the doors were last checked and where the records are kept. In homes run by a group, head office may set the plan while each home carries out the checks.
A free-swing closer lets a door move like a normal door, with no resistance. When the fire alarm sounds, the closer takes over and shuts the door. It suits residents who find heavy fire doors hard to open. Free-swing closers must be linked to the fire alarm and tested often. If the link fails, the door will not close in a fire.
Bedroom doors and doors between fire zones usually do. That is why hold-open devices and free-swing closers are so common in care homes. Doors to cupboards and stores should simply be kept shut or locked. Fire risk assessments in care homes often list which doors must close on the alarm. We check each one against that list and record any that do not.
Most bedroom and corridor doors are FD30S, with 30 minutes of fire resistance and smoke seals. Doors between fire zones, kitchens and plant rooms may need more. The home’s fire risk assessment sets the rating for each door. If you are not sure what rating a door is, look for a label on the top or hinge edge. We can also trace it for you during the inspection.
Next step
Tell us about your home. We will plan a calm visit that fits around your residents.
