SELF CLOSING DOORS

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Annabelle26
Annabelle26 Scope Member Posts: 113 Empowering
edited December 2017 in Housing and independent living
I own the flat that I live in but the building is owned by a Housing Association.  I have a self closing door which is fine.  I keep telling them that but they have told me I have to have an ugly hinge type thing fitted which I have only ever seen in places like offices.  No other person I know who lives in flats have had to have one fitted.  Any ideas what I can do about it.

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  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,761 Championing
    I wonder if @Debbie_Scope can offer any insight here?
  • Debbie_Alumni
    Debbie_Alumni Online Community Member Posts: 932 Empowering
    edited January 2018
    Hi Annabelle26,

    Thanks for posting your question.

    My initial thoughts were that this was a fire safety issue so I looked into a bit more and came across this article and it links to the guidance Fire Risk Means of Escape for Disabled people.

    I think the reason the housing association is changing your door is because there is a risk you might not be able to escape. While you can manage with a self-closing door on an normal day, it suddenly becomes much harder to manage if you're overcome with smoke and fumes from a fire. I hope if anything this offers you some security and safety in the knowledge that risks assessments have been carried out and something preventative is being done.

    Let us know what your housing association says and whether they can confirm it's for this reason. I think it'll be very interesting for others reading this too.

    Thanks so much

    Best wishes
    Debbie

  • Annabelle26
    Annabelle26 Scope Member Posts: 113 Empowering
    Hi Debbie - Scope

    I have looked at your article & it refers to communal doors in public places.  My problem is the people that own the building are trying to fit the sort of hinge that is used on those  type doors on to the door in to my flat.  I have had problems with opening some of those types of doors.  I keep telling the Freeholders I do not need one fitted as my door is already self closing & was fitted by their contractors years ago & is compliant with all fire regs.  The Contractor who is  fitting them tried again yesterday & I told him I do not need one.  I offered to let him to show him but he declined but said he would pass the message on to the building owners.

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