The Fire Safety Act 2021 extended fire safety law to cover external walls and flat entrance doors for the first time. Here is everything you need to know — in plain English.. Why the Fire Safety Act 2021 Was Needed Before the Fire Safety Act 2021, there was a critical gap in fire safety law: The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 covered the common parts of residential buildings (corridors, stairways, lobbies) But it did NOT explicitly cover: External walls (including cladding, insulation, and attachments) Flat entrance doors The interface between external walls and internal compartmentation This gap meant that fire authorities had limited powers to enforce fire safety measures on the very elements that caused the Grenfell Tower fire. What the Act Changed The Fire Safety Act 2021 amended Article 6(1) of the RRO 2005 to clarify that the scope includes: 1. The structure and external walls of the building, including: Cladding systems Insulation materials Attachments (balconies, solar panels, signage) Windows and external doors 2. Any common parts of the building, including: Flat entrance doors Corridors and lobbies Staircases Plant rooms and bin stores The Practical Impact For Responsible Persons (Building Owners/Managers) Immediate obligations: Fire risk assessment must now explicitly assess external wall fire risk Fire risk assessor must be competent to assess external wall systems Flat entrance doors must be included in the fire risk assessment Any identified deficiencies must be addressed through the action plan Enhanced duties under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022: Quarterly fire door checks (common parts) Annual flat entrance door checks Floor and wayfinding signage in buildings over 11m Premises information boxes in buildings over 18m Lift priority switches for fire service use Secure information boxes accessible to fire services For Residents Right to information about fire safety measures in your building Right to report concerns to the fire service Obligation to provide access for flat entrance door inspections (with reasonable notice) Engagement — building owners must consult residents on fire safety matters Enforcement Fire and rescue authorities now have explicit power to: Inspect external walls as part of fire safety audits Issue enforcement notices requiring external wall remediation Issue prohibition notices restricting occupation of buildings with dangerous external walls Prosecute responsible persons who fail to assess or manage external wall fire risk Magnus Opifex provides Fire Safety Act compliance assessments. Contact us.