Approved Document Q: Security – Dwellings (2015 edition) Building Regulations Guidance
Approved Document Q provides guidance on how to comply with Requirement Q1 of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010. This edition took effect on 1 October 2015 for use in England and applies to building work carried out on excepted energy buildings in Wales. It offers a presumption of compliance for the security requirements of new dwellings when the technical guidance contained within is followed.
The regulatory scope of this document is limited to new dwellings, including those formed by a material change of use. It governs the performance of easily accessible doors and windows, ensuring they are sufficiently robust and fitted with appropriate hardware to resist physical attack by casual or opportunist burglars. The document is structured into two main technical sections covering doors and windows, supported by Appendix A for key terms and Appendix B for the construction of bespoke timber secure doorsets.
Professional practitioners use this framework to identify the necessary testing standards for doorsets and windows, such as PAS 24:2012. It also details specific requirements for components such as letter plates, door viewers, and the mechanical fixing of frames to the building structure.
Requirement Q1: Unauthorised Access
Requirement Q1 mandates that reasonable provision must be made to resist unauthorised access to any dwelling or any part of a building from which access can be gained to a flat. This requirement applies only to new dwellings and focuses on the performance of entrance points.
- Performance criteria: Doors and windows must be sufficiently robust and fitted with appropriate hardware.
- Accessibility: Requirements apply to easily accessible doors and windows, defined as those within 2m vertically of an accessible level surface or within 2m vertically of a flat or sloping roof (pitch less than 30°) that is within 3.5m of ground level.
Section 1: Doorsets
All easily accessible doorsets, including garage and communal entrance doorsets providing access into a dwelling, should be secure doorsets. If a garage has no interconnecting door to the dwelling, the garage doorset does not need to meet these security standards.
- Testing standards: Doorsets should meet the security requirements of PAS 24:2012 or equivalent standards like STS 201, LPS 1175 (rating 2), or STS 202 (rating 2).
- Letter plates: Where provided, apertures must not exceed 260mm x 40mm and must be designed to hinder the removal of keys using sticks.
- Identification: Main entrance doors should be equipped with a door viewer and a door chain or limiter, unless alternative means like clear glass or audio-visual systems exist.
- Mechanical fixing: Frames must be mechanically fixed to the building structure according to manufacturer instructions.
Section 2: Windows
Ground floor, basement, and other easily accessible windows (including rooflights) must be secure windows. These must be manufactured to a design tested to meet PAS 24:2012 or other standards providing similar performance.
- Alternative standards: Acceptable certifications include STS 204, LPS 1175 (security rating 1), and LPS 2081 (security rating A).
- Installation: Window frames must be mechanically fixed to the structure of the building.
Appendix B: Bespoke Timber Secure Doorsets
Timber doorsets constructed to specific dimensions and material densities are considered secure for the purposes of Requirement Q1 without separate testing. This applies to doors up to 1000mm wide and 2000mm high.
- Material density: Solid or laminated timber must have a minimum density of 600kg/m³.
- Dimensions: Door rails, stiles, and muntins must be at least 44mm thick. Any panel within the doorset must be at least 15mm thick.
- Locking systems: Main doors should have a multipoint locking system meeting PAS 3621, PAS 8621, or PAS 10621 standards.
- Glazing: Any glass that could permit someone to release the internal locking device if broken must be a minimum of class P1A in accordance with BS EN 356:2000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Approved Document Q apply to extensions of existing houses?
No, Requirement Q1 and the guidance in Approved Document Q apply only in relation to new dwellings, which includes dwellings formed by a material change of use.
What is the maximum allowed size for a letter plate aperture?
Letter plates should have a maximum aperture of 260mm x 40mm to comply with the security guidance.
Which windows are considered easily accessible?
Windows are easily accessible if any part is within 2m vertically of the ground, a basement level, or an access balcony, or if they are within 2m vertically of a roof with a pitch less than 30 degrees that is within 3.5m of the ground.
What is the minimum timber density for a bespoke secure doorset?
Bespoke timber doorsets must be manufactured from solid or laminated timber with a minimum density of 600kg/m³ to be considered secure under Appendix B.
Is a door viewer mandatory for new dwellings?
The main doors for entering a dwelling should have a door viewer unless there is clear glass in the door or a window next to the doorset that allows the resident to see callers.
What glazing standard is required for secure doorsets?
If glazing is positioned so that breaking it would allow someone to release the lock, it must be at least class P1A according to BS EN 356:2000.
Do garage doors need to be secure doorsets?
Garage doors only need to be secure doorsets if there is an interconnecting door between the garage and the dwelling. If no such connection exists, they are not required to be secure doorsets.
