Should our attic bedroom have a fire-resistant door?

[KirstyJC]

I was just reading something on another thread and a poster mentioned that an attic conversion for a bedroom needs a fire-resistant door, smoke alarm and method of escape in order to comply with building regs.

I assume that any building regs will obviously apply to new conversions, but what about old ones?

We bought this house 3 years ago, it was originally 1700s I think although the attic conversion is much more recent (prob about 30 years ago going by the decor) and it doesn't have these, except for the smoke alarm.

There is a wooden door at the bottom of the (enclosed) stairs, and another at the top. The stairs themselves are narrow but then a lot of older properties have this, so I assume this is OK. There is a Velux window, which I think was put in when the previous owners replaced the roof in the 1990s. It is big enough for him to escape from if there was someone on the roof to pick him up but not possible to leave by himself as roof is too sloped.

Should I be worried? We have no money to make alterations at all. It was described as a bedroom in the estate agent details and I haven't really given it a thought until just now, apart from checking the smoke alarm periodically. That is on the wall at the top of the stairs, right outside the bedroom door and above the lower door. Both doors are shut at night and the smoke alarm is working.

The full buyers survey we had didn't mention anything amiss with the room, apart from that it probably didn't have a reinforced floor which he said wouldn't be an issue in a bedroom, but then he didn't really mention very much tbh it was a waste of money all round!

If anyone can set my mind at rest I would be most grateful!

kirsty jc
I believe as long as you do not have any plan for major change then you do not have to worry.
if you do then you have to get officials involved so they might ask you to do this and that.
but an architect is the one who would know about building regulations
whatever the scenario a fire door is not a major issue you could make your existing door a fire door just by making it thicker and putting a special sticker around the door frame and the edges of the door so that if there is a fire the heat will seal the door for fumes to remain in the room.
the other thing that is also acceptable is staining the door with this clear fire retardant coating.
I wouldn't worry about to much.
should you realy want to be sure then perhaps one of the council building officer will tell you what to do.
I have experienced this when I had a business and the building was old
and all the rooms doors were made thicker by this plywood on the inside of the rooms so you still have nice appearance on the outside.

Thanks - I will def look out for the stain and the sticker stuff.

I would have thought it would depend on what building regulations were at the time of the conversion remembering they change all the time.