Hackney has a large volume of housing association and local authority residential stock, alongside a growing number of new-build residential developments and converted warehouse buildings. Fire compartmentation is a pressing concern for housing providers managing post-war tower blocks, low-rise estates and converted buildings across the borough.
Our fire compartmentation surveys in Hackney help housing associations, the council and private freeholders identify deficiencies in passive fire protection. We assess fire stopping, compartment wall and floor integrity, service penetration sealing and cavity barrier provision in buildings from Dalston and Stoke Newington to Homerton and Hackney Wick.
Whether you manage a 1960s tower block in Clapton, a Victorian conversion in Stoke Newington, or a modern residential scheme in Hackney Central, our RICS regulated reports provide the evidence needed for remediation planning and Building Safety Act compliance.
Assessment of fire stopping in Hackney's housing association tower blocks and estate buildings, where original installations have deteriorated and subsequent maintenance works have often created new unsealed penetrations.
Inspection of compartment walls and floors in post-war concrete-framed blocks and Victorian conversions, checking for breaches caused by structural alterations, service routes and unauthorised modifications.
Survey of all pipe, cable and duct penetrations through fire-separating elements in Hackney residential blocks, including communal risers and individual dwelling service entries.
Review of cavity barrier provision in external wall over-cladding systems, roof spaces and floor constructions, with attention to Hackney estates that have undergone energy efficiency retrofit programmes.
Fire risk appraisals and external wall assessments for Hackney buildings.
View ServiceExternal wall fire review certificates for residential blocks in Hackney.
View ServiceRICS regulated building condition surveys across the borough.
View ServiceYes. Housing associations and local authority landlords managing residential blocks in Hackney have a duty under the Fire Safety Order and the Building Safety Act to maintain passive fire protection. Compartmentation surveys identify deficiencies in fire stopping, compartment walls and cavity barriers, helping providers prioritise remediation and demonstrate compliance.
Post-war tower blocks in Hackney commonly have deteriorated fire stopping around service risers, breached compartment walls from kitchen and bathroom refurbishments, missing or displaced cavity barriers in external wall over-cladding, and fire doors that no longer achieve the required resistance period. These issues are often cumulative and require systematic survey to identify.
The stay-put evacuation strategy used in most Hackney residential blocks relies entirely on effective compartmentation to contain fire within the flat of origin. If compartmentation is compromised, fire and smoke can spread to common parts and adjacent dwellings, making the stay-put strategy unsafe. Our surveys assess whether compartmentation is adequate to support the building's evacuation strategy.
Our compartmentation surveys provide key evidence for the building safety case required under the Building Safety Act for higher-risk residential buildings. We can also advise on remediation strategies, help prepare golden thread documentation, and work with your fire safety team to ensure that passive fire protection meets the required standards.