Context 

Worthing Homes is a housing association managing a portfolio of residential properties across Worthing, West Sussex. The organisation required a comprehensive programme to survey and replace 200 front-entrance fire doors across its estate - upgrading each one to meet current fire safety and security standards while minimising disruption to the people living in those homes. A significant number of residents were considered vulnerable, making the human dimension of this project every bit as important as the technical one. 

Challenge 

Delivering a large-scale fire door replacement programme across occupied residential properties - many with vulnerable tenants - required a level of care and sensitivity that goes well beyond a standard commercial contract: 

• Access to individual occupied homes: Unlike a school or commercial building, each of the 200 properties required coordination with the resident. Scheduling surveys and installations across a dispersed portfolio of homes - managing access, absences, and changing circumstances - posed an ongoing logistical challenge throughout the full two-year programme. 

• Vulnerable residents requiring additional consideration: Many of Worthing Homes' tenants had specific needs, disabilities, or vulnerabilities that required a sensitive, respectful, and individually tailored approach at every point of contact. The wellbeing of residents was a central consideration throughout - not an afterthought. 

• Dual compliance requirements: Every replacement door was required to meet both FD30s fire resistance standards and PAS24 security certification – ensuring residents were protected against fire risk and benefited from enhanced security at their front entrance simultaneously. 

Solution 

Capital Fire Doors, part of Complii, assigned a dedicated team to manage both the survey and installation phases end to end, ensuring a consistent, considered approach was maintained with every resident throughout the programme: 

• Precise manufacturing surveys across 200 properties: Detailed surveys were carried out at each property to capture the exact specifications required for manufacture, ensuring every replacement door was made to fit accurately the first time, avoiding repeat visits and minimising disruption to residents. 

• FD30s and PAS24 certified doorsets throughout: All 200 front entrance doors were specified and manufactured to meet FD30s fire ratings and PAS24 security standards, providing Worthing Homes with a fully compliant, certified estate of front entrance doors across all properties in the programme. 

• A dedicated team from survey to installation: The same team managed the full process, from initial survey through to completed installation, building familiarity with individual properties and residents over the course of the programme. This continuity was particularly valuable when working with vulnerable tenants, where trust, consistency, and clear communication made a real practical difference to how smoothly work proceeded. 

• Resident-centred scheduling and delivery: Access arrangements were tailored to individual circumstances throughout, with the team adapting around residents' routines, needs, and any additional requirements - treating each home with the care and respect it deserved. 

Results 

The two-year programme was completed on time and within budget, delivering a fully compliant fire door estate across all 200 properties,  and doing so in a way that put residents first throughout:  

• 200 front entrance doors replaced to full compliance: Every door in the programme was replaced with a certified FD30s and PAS24 doorset, bringing Worthing Homes' entire front entrance estate up to current fire safety and security standards. 

• Vulnerable residents supported throughout: The sensitive, resident-centred approach ensured that tenants with additional needs were accommodated at every stage, with no resident left behind. 

• Delivered on time and within budget: Despite the complexity of coordinating access across 200 individual occupied homes over a 24-month programme, the project was completed on schedule and to the agreed cost.