Inspection vs survey vs audit?

The 30-second version

1. Fire door inspection — what it is and isn't

The inspection is the routine quarterly check on fire doors that are already installed and were already certified at fit. It's not an investigation. It's a maintenance check.

What's covered

• Visual check of each door's certification plug or label.
• Gap measurement (top, sides, threshold).
• Intumescent strip and smoke seal condition.
• Closer function — does the door self-latch from any open position?
• Hinge condition — three hinges, all secured, no cracks.
• Lock/latch function.
• Glazing if present.
• Signage where required.

Who can do it

A "competent person" — for HMO routine quarterly inspections, that's typically the landlord themselves once they've been shown how to do it, or a contractor like Doorz London. Higher-risk buildings (over 11m residential, or Building-Safety-Act-scope) sometimes need a third-party-certified inspector.

What you get

A signed log entry per door, dated. Most landlords run a simple template — one row per door, pass/fail per item, signature, date. Council inspectors at re-licensing will ask to see the log going back to the last installation date.

What it costs

DIY is free. We charge £140-£260 per property visit when landlords ask us to run the inspection ourselves, plus any remedial repairs needed. See fire door inspection London.

2. Fire door survey — one-off deep assessment

A survey is a heavier, one-off piece of work — a written report on the whole fire-door estate of a property. It's not routine; it's commissioned for a specific reason.

When you'd commission a survey

• Pre-purchase — buying an HMO, flat or block and want an independent view on the doors before exchange. Vendors often produce limited documentation; an independent survey closes that gap and gives you negotiating power.
• Pre-licensing — your borough HMO licence renewal is due and you want to know whether your current doors will pass before you submit.
• Post-incident — a door has been damaged (forced entry, fire incident, vehicle impact) and you need a written view on whether the certification is still intact.
• Post-purchase — you've inherited a property and have no documentation for the existing doors.
• Insurance claim — supporting an insurance claim where door condition is relevant.

What's in the written report

1. Property details and door schedule.
2. Per-door page — photographs, measurements, certification status, pass/fail per item.
3. Defect schedule listing every issue with severity (compliance-critical / cosmetic / advisory).
4. Remediation recommendations — repair, replace, or leave.
5. Indicative remediation cost band.
6. Compliance summary statement.

Delivered as a PDF within 48 hours. Suitable for solicitor due-diligence and council licensing submissions. See fire door surveys London.

What it costs

• Single HMO or flat (up to 8 doors): £140-£190.
• Small block (8-25 doors): £280-£540.
• Larger block (25+): per-door rate after a free quotation visit.
• Urgent / same-day premium: +25%.

If you proceed with the recommended remediation within 30 days, the survey cost is credited back against the work.

3. Fire-door audit — building-wide compliance review

An audit is the heaviest of the three. It checks not just the physical doors but the documentation behind them — does the paperwork match reality? Audits are typically commissioned by managing agents or freeholders of larger blocks.

What's covered

• Every fire door in the building (often 50-200+).
• Document trail per door — manufacturer certificate, installation record, repair history, inspection log.
• Cross-check: does the documentation describe the door actually installed?
• Compartmentation context — are the doors consistent with the overall fire strategy for the building?
• Gaps and ranking — what's the priority order for remediation?

When you'd commission an audit

• Building Safety Act compliance — for blocks in scope, the safety case file needs an underlying audit.
• Section 156 review — RICS / fire engineer working to Section 156 of the Building Safety Act asks for an underlying door audit.
• Insurance renewal — some insurers now require an audit for HRRB (higher-risk residential buildings).
• Sale of a managed block — buyer's surveyor flagged the door estate.
• Post-incident at portfolio level — fire incident in one block, audit across the portfolio.

What it costs

Per-door rate after a building visit. Typical range: £25-£60 per door inspected, plus a base fee for documentation review and report compilation. For a 60-door block, expect £1,800-£3,600 for a full audit.

Which one do I need? Decision flowchart

1. Are you buying a property? → Survey (pre-purchase).
2. Have you just inherited a property with no docs? → Survey (compliance gap).
3. Is licensing renewal due in the next 6 months? → Survey (pre-licensing).
4. Have your doors been damaged or had an incident? → Survey (post-incident).
5. Is your building over 11m / 7 storeys? → Audit (Building Safety Act scope).
6. Is this just the normal quarterly maintenance check? → Inspection.
7. Are you a managing agent with multiple blocks to coordinate? → Audit (portfolio level).

Common mistakes London landlords make

• Paying for an audit when an inspection is enough. Routine maintenance work doesn't need building-wide audit pricing.
• Skipping the survey before a purchase. Vendors' documentation is rarely complete; £180 spent on a survey often saves £3,000+ in unexpected remediation cost.
• Treating the survey as ongoing. A survey is one-off. After it, the routine is the quarterly inspection.
• Buying a third-party-certified inspection when you don't need one. For routine HMO inspections, competent-person is sufficient. Third-party adds cost without benefit.