Why it matters now
The Building Safety Act 2022 requires accurate, up-to-date information about higher-risk buildings to be kept as a golden thread. Fire stopping is a large part of that picture. Landlords of all buildings are increasingly asked by insurers, lenders and the fire service to evidence compartmentation.
What to expect for every penetration
- A unique number, pinned on a floor plan, so it can be found again.
- Before and after photographs.
- The service passing through, the substrate and the size of the opening.
- The tested system and product used, and the fire rating achieved.
- Who installed it and when, and a label on site that matches the record.
Third-party certification
Certification schemes for installers, such as BM TRADA Q-Mark, audit the contractor's competence and work. Under Q-Mark the installer issues a record of installation for the work, signed by an approved person. Ask for it, and check the certificate number against the scheme's online directory.
Areas you could not reach
A good record lists what was not accessed, and why, rather than leaving gaps unstated. That list becomes the next action, not a hidden risk.
LE Group technical team · Reviewed November 2026. General guidance only, not legal advice.