Rank: Super forum user 
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Hi, I was asked a question today about student accommodation, with timber balconies, the person who asked has a daughter with a seventh floor flat with a timber balcony, door locked with the key withheld so no access onto the balcony. I am aware of fairly recent guidance on balconies constructed of combustible materials and the fire in Barking that destroyed a number of flats due to fire spreading along timber balconies. In my opinion simply locking the access doors to timber balconies will not prevent fire spreading along the balconies with the danger that fire will enter flats through the walls and windows. Seems the fire in barking did just that. Not allowing access will help to reduce the risk of fire starting but will not prevent spread. The balconies in question were there apparently before the Barking fire and the guidance I believe is not retrospective. I just wonder if the landlord should do more than just keep hold of the keys.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Is the key holding related to fire or is there a fault with the design/installation/materials/maintenance? Does seem to be a curious control strategy which overlooks the risk of inquisitive students. Then of course if there is a fire in the access corridors how do the students get evacuated from their roooms?
Locking the balcony could also present greater risk restricting access to control wayward fireworks, wind blown embers..
The presence of the balcony forms part of the overall design of the property - are they getting a discount for loss of amenity/enjoyment?
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 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Is the key holding related to fire or is there a fault with the design/installation/materials/maintenance? Does seem to be a curious control strategy which overlooks the risk of inquisitive students. Then of course if there is a fire in the access corridors how do the students get evacuated from their roooms?
Locking the balcony could also present greater risk restricting access to control wayward fireworks, wind blown embers..
The presence of the balcony forms part of the overall design of the property - are they getting a discount for loss of amenity/enjoyment?
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2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Thanks Roundtuit. Good answer. I hadn't thought of wayward fireworks but that is exactly why I posted here. The new guidance was issued around the same time as the Barking fire so may be coincidence or good sense. The balconies will neve be means of escape and in my opinion locking the doors is a decent method of reducing the chances of a fire starting but does not reduce the effects of a fire at all. As you allude to a small fire in one of the balconies will not be extinguished quickly enough if the key is not available.
Thanks
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Difficult to comment on the fire risk without knowing the make up of the building. I agree simply locking the access doors to timber balconies will not prevent fire spreading, any fire of consequence will break through the external door or window. Timber cladding was one of these materials that was accepted as fire resistant due to the shambles resolving around testing, mis-selling and fire classification in building regs. From this it use on balconies has crept in. To be honest from my experience of how poor some of these buildings are constructed timber balconies would be somewhat down the list. It would be the integrity of the fire compartmentation that would worry me, for example the lack, inadequate and poorly installed fire-stops, fire barriers , fire door, AOV etc. There are good and bad landlords. They obviously know about the issue but I suspect they are dragging their feet due to costs!
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1 user thanked Alfasev for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Timber balconies are not the primary problem here, its spread from a fire on a balcony (or fire from a room emerging through a door onto the balcony) and spreading to the timber balcony above.
Many balconies are a very cheap installation of a bolt on steel frame and thin cross sectional timber boards that have sizeable gaps between them. Cheap & cheerful and only there as a marketing tool to add a few ££££ on the price
If each balcony was underlined with a fire resisting boarding, fire on a balcony would be largely deflected away from the timber structure above - and at minimal cost.
Taller buildings with a large cumulative fire loading from multiple balconies, may benefit from fire resisting timber too Why is this even a problem? Its so cheap to correct, but of course the greedy house building industry has a lot to answer for - as demonstrated post Grenfell :(
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3 users thanked Messey for this useful post.
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Further to this issue the landlord has offered £10 a month off the rental and to release to occupiers from their contract if they wish to move elsewhere. (Student city and nothing availabe right now). I had a chat with a fire safety officer who is employed by the FRS and although he does not know the building in question he had a few good questions for us to ask. First one is "why is the key not being handed over to the occupier" which I thought was a great question to ask.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: Roundtuit  Is the key holding related to fire or is there a fault with the design/installation/materials/maintenance? Does seem to be a curious control strategy which overlooks the risk of inquisitive students. Then of course if there is a fire in the access corridors how do the students get evacuated from their roooms?
Locking the balcony could also present greater risk restricting access to control wayward fireworks, wind blown embers..
The presence of the balcony forms part of the overall design of the property - are they getting a discount for loss of amenity/enjoyment?
Roundtuit I mentioned you points to the fire officer and his replies are: Having access to the balcony to control a fire may allow fresh air to blow the fire into the flat, advice is to get out unless there is a stay put policy, even then occupiers of the affected flat should evacuate. Fire in the access corridors 'should' not happen as the building will have sterile escape routes, FR fire doors with self closers seals etc. fire alarm sounders and break glass etc. etc. Most experienced fire fighters will know fires do happen in escape routes however.
The landlord has offered to reduce the rent by £10 monthly and release the renter from their contract if they wish to move elsewhere.
I have looked on the renter's website at views of the flats, there is amarvellous view from the balcony, and can clearly see wooden decking boards on the the balcony floor.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Ministry of housing and local government - advice for building owners of multi-storey, multi-occupied residential buildings, section 7. Balconies states in 7.3 'removal and replacement of any combustible material is the clearest way to prevent external fire spread and this should occur as soon as practical'. (just written the salient words). So how soon is 'practical' and is there anyone policing this I wonder.
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