Doors onto a protected stairway in a three-storey house
Fire doors to every habitable room opening onto the stair
Applies where any floor level is more than 4.5 m above ground level
Every figure for this topic is on one page: Stair dimensions and handrail heights in UK homes
Read the full answerIn a house with a floor more than 4.5 m above ground, the stair becomes a protected escape route and the doors onto it have to be fire doors.
Basis in regulation
How to check it on site
Check the ironmongery and intumescent seals at handover, and that no room door has been swapped for a standard blank.
Common failure
Fire doors fitted but the seals painted over or the door trimmed past its permitted allowance.
Effective from 22 August 2026. Last updated 23 August 2026. This is our editorial summary of publicly available regulation, not building control approval or a warranty determination.