Locks on rooms in student house

[sue peers]

Hi,

Can anyone help?

I've just taken over the management of my properties from a local letting agent, who told me that one of my properties which is a student house should not have locks on the rooms, is this correct?

Thanks

Sue

[Simon Dewsberry]

No ..not true at all ....the type of lock however is very important

The lock sould be a "thumb lock"

All door "sets” specified as fire resisting are to be of the required fire resisting standard, fitted to the manufacturers instructions and must comply with the current test certificate to the relevant British Standard (see Appendix . In particular, ALL doors specified as fire resisting are to be: -

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1) Provided with the necessary fire resisting door frames, intumescent seals and suitable brush type smoke seals. (Intumescent and suitable brush type smoke seals are not required for doors that are to provide 20 minutes (FD20) rather than 30 minutes/half hour (FD30) protection).

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2) Fitted with POSITIVE HYDRAULIC self closing device(s) (rising butt hinges are not considered suitable) which fully closes the door, overriding the resistance of any latch, intumescent seals, suitable brush type smoke seals or floor coverings. Perco closing devices are not considered acceptable unless they are positive hydraulic or the door "set” has been tested with Perco closing devices. (Perco closing devices can be acceptable for FD20 doors provided they meet the closure criteria for overriding the resistance of any latch or floor covering).

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3) Made single swing, using 3 no. 100mm steel butt hinges.

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4) Fitted with PSE 12.5 x 12.5mm (minimum) doorstops, glued and screwed at 400mm centres.

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5) Have all doors on common escape routes, specified as fire resisting self-closing doors, to be indicated on both sides as to their purpose with a notice FIRE DOOR-KEEP SHUT.

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6) Fitted with locking devices or handles, including the main entrance door(s) to the property, which must be of a design such that they can quickly and easily (in the event of a fire) be opened from the inside and without the use of a key or other tool.

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All glazing in fire resisting doors and screens should: -

1) Be not less than 1m above floor level.

2) Be of 6mm thick-wired glass fixed in a frame 56mm deep x 44mm wide with all panels fixed shut.

3) The panels to be limited to a maximum area of 1.2 square metres.

4) Comply with the provisions of the relevant current British Standard (see Appendix .

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Flat, property entrance, fire resisting and any other accommodation doors, opening onto the escape route, must not be provided with mortice type deadlocks. Only locks, which can be opened from the inside without the need for a key or other tool, will be acceptable for these doors.

[sue peers]

No ..not true at all ....the type of lock however is very important

The lock sould be a "thumb lock"

All door "sets" specified as fire resisting are to be of the required fire resisting standard, fitted to the manufacturers instructions and must comply with the current test certificate to the relevant British Standard (see Appendix . In particular, ALL doors specified as fire resisting are to be: -

0

1) Provided with the necessary fire resisting door frames, intumescent seals and suitable brush type smoke seals. (Intumescent and suitable brush type smoke seals are not required for doors that are to provide 20 minutes (FD20) rather than 30 minutes/half hour (FD30) protection).

0

2) Fitted with POSITIVE HYDRAULIC self closing device(s) (rising butt hinges are not considered suitable) which fully closes the door, overriding the resistance of any latch, intumescent seals, suitable brush type smoke seals or floor coverings. Perco closing devices are not considered acceptable unless they are positive hydraulic or the door "set" has been tested with Perco closing devices. (Perco closing devices can be acceptable for FD20 doors provided they meet the closure criteria for overriding the resistance of any latch or floor covering).

0

3) Made single swing, using 3 no. 100mm steel butt hinges.

0

4) Fitted with PSE 12.5 x 12.5mm (minimum) doorstops, glued and screwed at 400mm centres.

0

5) Have all doors on common escape routes, specified as fire resisting self-closing doors, to be indicated on both sides as to their purpose with a notice FIRE DOOR-KEEP SHUT.

0

6) Fitted with locking devices or handles, including the main entrance door(s) to the property, which must be of a design such that they can quickly and easily (in the event of a fire) be opened from the inside and without the use of a key or other tool.

0

All glazing in fire resisting doors and screens should: -

1) Be not less than 1m above floor level.

2) Be of 6mm thick-wired glass fixed in a frame 56mm deep x 44mm wide with all panels fixed shut.

3) The panels to be limited to a maximum area of 1.2 square metres.

4) Comply with the provisions of the relevant current British Standard (see Appendix .

0

Flat, property entrance, fire resisting and any other accommodation doors, opening onto the escape route, must not be provided with mortice type deadlocks. Only locks, which can be opened from the inside without the need for a key or other tool, will be acceptable for these doors.

Thanks for that.

I noticed yesterday that you were looking for Intumescent Fire & Smoke seals. I found a company called norseal, it worked out about £15.00 per door. Hope this helps.

norseal.co.uk

Regards

Sue

[Simon Dewsberry]

Hi Sue

Thanks for that will call them for a quote ..

Have found a 2.1m roll for £2.24 trade price so about £8 per door ....need to run it by fire officer though...

Simon

[sue peers]

Hi Sue

Thanks for that will call them for a quote ..

Have found a 2.1m roll for £2.24 trade price so about £8 per door ....need to run it by fire officer though...

Simon

Hi Simon,

Please help again.

Students again are insisting on locks on their rooms, we have fitted thumb locks as you suggested in your reply to me (thanks) but now they are saying as they do not know the other students in the house very well, and there have been thefts from other student houses in the area, they want individual locks on the outside of each of their rooms with us holding copies of thier keys to enable us to gain access when required.

Is it legal to have locks on the outside of thier rooms

The other point is who would be responsible if any thing was stolen from thier rooms? We insure the building and fixtures and fittings but surely we are not responsible for thier personal belongings.

Thanks

Sue

[Simon Dewsberry]

When i said "thumb locks" i meant the sort with a key on the outside of the door and thumb turn on the inside !!!

No you are not responsible for their personal belongings (re: Theft assuming you don nick them!)

You can get these in B&Q or most good hardware stores

http://www.directlocks.co.uk/euro-cylinder...26_160_211.html

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll...op=1&fsoo=1

Above is for cylinder only ...you will need handles and the rest of the lock if you choose to fit these (these are what i use ...not this company but you get the idea)

You can fit "yale front door" locks but i would steer clear as T will be forever locking themselves out of their rooms and ringing you to go round there!!

S

[Matthew]

Ha ha, this has made me laugh, thumblocks on the inside, but nothing on the outside, what is the point of that? Very funny though :-)

The thumblocks are only required as if there was a fire you don't have to find the key and fiddle about, it doesn't matter what is on the outside.