Question: The fire doors in our 3 year old complex are not complaint and must be replaced. How long should fire doors last without being replaced if properly maintained? What action can we take?
I live in a three year old complex of 63 units. We have been advised some of the fire doors are not compliant and have to be replaced at a cost of $60,000. Is this cost the responsibility of the Body Corporate or individual property owners?
How long should fire doors last without being replaced if properly maintained? The warranty on the doors was for only 12 months.
We understand that if they are not replaced and a fire does occur, we will not be covered by the insurance. What action can we take?
Answer: The expected life of a fire door is around 10-15 years provided no damage or unauthorised alterations have been made.
The expected life of a fire door is around 10-15 years provided no damage or unauthorised alterations have been made. In saying this, I am aware of unit complexes with fire doors in excess of 20 years.
For a complex less than 3 years old, it would be quite unexpected for fire doors to be non-compliant. Without any detailed knowledge of the defects, it is hard to comment, however, if these doors have been incorrectly installed during the initial installation it could well be the responsibility of the builder to rectify any issues. Additionally, it is important that the correct performance requirements have been assessed.
This post appears in the April 2023 edition of The QLD Strata Magazine.