Industry
Social Housing
Challenge
Diverse property portfolio with complex occupancy patterns.
Results
All surveys completed within 4 weeks.
Key Product
Fire Door Inspection Programme
Client Background
The Welsh Government is the devolved government for Wales, responsible for health, education, housing, and local government. It develops and implements policies, manages public services, and works to improve social, economic, and environmental outcomes across Wales.Project Overview
Firntec was commissioned to deliver a programme of both standard and intrusive fire door inspections across a portfolio of Welsh Government-funded properties. This work formed part of a wider initiative to raise fire safety standards across the Welsh public and social housing estate, ensuring compliance visibility and a clear understanding of asset condition.
Challenges & Solutions
One of the key challenges was securing resident access across diverse property types, many of which had complex occupancy patterns. Firntec addressed this by implementing a weekend delivery model, maximising access and reducing disruption. Intrusive inspections required a sensitive approach, with surveyors partially dismantling doors in a controlled manner to validate internal fire-stopping integrity while maintaining tenant trust. Clear resident communications and coordination with property managers ensured the inspections were delivered discreetly and efficiently.
Added Value
Firntec utilised its digital inspection platform, allowing findings to be uploaded in real-time and providing clients with instant visibility of inspection progress and outcomes. This created a transparent audit trail, reduced reporting lag, and enabled quicker planning for remedial works.
Social Value
By scheduling inspections at weekends and minimising the need for repeat visits, Firntec reduced disruption for residents, many of whom were in vulnerable tenures. The tenant-sensitive approach also strengthened trust and engagement between residents, property managers, and the client team.
Results
All scheduled inspections were successfully completed within the agreed February 2025 timeframe, despite the challenges of complex access requirements. The adoption of weekend working significantly improved first-time access rates, while the delivery of a fully categorised dataset, including photographic evidence and priority ratings, provided the client with clear visibility of fire safety risks across the estate. The Welsh Government and its delivery partners commended Firntec’s professionalism, efficiency, and resident-focused approach, which gave them confidence in the accuracy and quality of the outcomes.
Lessons Learnt
The project demonstrated the effectiveness of tailoring delivery models, such as weekend scheduling to aid resident availability. It also reinforced the value of intrusive inspection methods in uncovering risks not visible through standard checks, ensuring a more accurate understanding of fire safety resilience across the portfolio.
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