Plans and door schedule
Floor plans, a fire strategy drawing or any door schedule, even if it is out of date.
Before the inspection
Preparing a Building for a Fire Door Survey
A formal fire door survey goes faster and produces a more useful report when the building is ready for it. This checklist is for dutyholders and building managers getting ready for an inspection by the external specialist contractor Parsec arranges — not for the survey itself, and not for a works quotation.
Who Does What
The formal inspection and written report come from an external specialist fire door inspection contractor. Parsec Fire Doors can arrange that partner for you and, once the report is issued, scope, price and carry out the remedial, repair, replacement or installation works. A Parsec pre-works site assessment only confirms scope and measurements for a quotation; it is not the formal survey and does not produce an inspection report.
If you want to book the inspection itself, start with arranging a fire door inspection. This page is about getting the building ready.
1. Confirm The Scope And Door Population
Agree in writing which doors are in scope before the visit. Surveys go wrong most often because the surveyor and the building manager had different door lists in mind.
- Which blocks, floors and areas are included
- Flat entrance doors, communal doors, or both
- Riser, plant, meter and store cupboards — in or out
- Approximate door count, so time on site can be planned
- Any doors known to be outside your control (for example, demised areas)
- Whether the report should follow an existing door numbering system
2. Gather The Documents
Have whatever exists ready to share in advance. Missing documents are not a reason to delay, but the surveyor should know what is and is not available.
Previous reports
Earlier inspection reports and fire risk assessment actions relating to doors, with dates.
Replacement and alteration records
Which doors have been replaced, repaired or altered since the last survey, by whom and when, plus any certificates or labels on file.
Known issues
A short list of doors you already know are damaged, altered or disputed, so they are not missed.
3. Number The Doors
Each door needs a stable reference that will still make sense in the report, the remedial quotation and the close-out records. If no system exists, agree one with the surveyor beforehand — for example block, floor and sequence — and mark it on a plan rather than writing on the doors themselves.
4. Keys, Access Control And Escorts
- Master or suited keys for communal, riser and plant doors
- Fobs or codes for access-controlled doors, and who can override them
- Arrangements for roof, plant and riser access, including any permits
- Site induction, escort or sign-in requirements
- A named contact on site for the whole visit
- Lift and parking arrangements where relevant
5. Residents, Tenants And Occupiers
Flat entrance doors and doors inside occupied units need the occupier's cooperation. Give clear notice of the date, the time window, why access is needed and how to rearrange.
For residential buildings in England above 11 metres, the responsible person must use best endeavours to check flat entrance doors at least every 12 months and keep a record of the steps taken where access is not given (GOV.UK guidance, accessed 1 October 2026). That duty does not apply to every building or every survey. This page is general information, not legal advice.
- Written notice with date, window and a contact number
- A follow-up reminder shortly before the visit
- A record of each notice and attempt, per door
- Agreed escalation for doors that remain inaccessible
6. Sensitive And Occupied Areas
Tell the surveyor in advance about areas with restrictions: sleeping residents, vulnerable occupiers, clinical or secure areas, server rooms, food areas or trading hours. These can shape the order of the visit and may limit what can be checked on the day.
7. What Not To Do Just Before The Survey
Unless urgent safety action is needed, avoid changing the doors in the days before the visit so that the report records their real condition.
- Do not paint over seals, labels or damage
- Do not fill gaps or holes cosmetically to hide them
- Do not swap ironmongery or remove hardware
- Do not remove or cover labels or plugs
- If urgent work was needed, record what was done and tell the surveyor
Day Before And Day Of
Day before
Confirm and remind
Confirm the time with the surveyor, remind residents or tenants, check keys and fobs work, and print the door list and plans.
Day of
Be available
Have the site contact on hand, open locked areas promptly, and note any door that could not be accessed and why.
Day of
Keep the list current
Mark off each door as seen so no-access doors are recorded as such, not forgotten.
Afterwards
Plan the follow-up
Arrange revisits for no-access doors and send the report to Parsec when you want the remedial works scoped and priced.
After The Survey
When the report arrives, our guide to what to do after a fire door inspection covers turning it into a remedial programme. Doors marked as not accessed or only partly checked are covered in no-access and limited findings in a fire door report.
Printable Survey Preparation Checklist
A one-page version of the steps above for your site file. Use your browser's print option to print it or save it as a PDF; only the checklist is printed.
Fire Door Survey Preparation Checklist
Parsec Fire Doors · parsecfiredoors.co.uk/preparing-for-a-fire-door-survey · 07561 516094
Sources
Home Office: Check your fire safety responsibilities under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 — accessed 1 October 2026.
Related Pages
Pages that cover the steps either side of the survey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need A Fire Door Survey Arranged?
We can arrange the formal survey through our external specialist inspector and then scope and price the works from the report. Already have a report? Upload it with your enquiry.