There are many ways you can keep yourself safe in your home and prevent accidental fires. On this page you can read our home safety tips.
Fire safety checks
We must follow our legal responsibilities to keep you safe. We carry out regular fire risk assessments in all our communal buildings where they are needed, and we follow up any actions.
Test your smoke alarms regularly
For the safety of you and your family, it’s essential you have a working smoke or heat alarm. It will warn you of a fire starting, which will give you more time to escape. This is especially important at night, when you are asleep. We provide smoke or heat alarms in all our homes which should activate in the event of a fire, making a loud beeping sound. They are normally fitted in the hallway and landings within your home, and sometimes in the kitchen too.
If you have a smoke alarm with batteries, you can test it by pressing and holding the test button on your detector. If the smoke detector is working, the alarm will sound. Make testing your alarms part of your weekly routine and report any faults immediately. If you’re unsure what to do, please get in touch.
Are my smoke or heat alarms mains or battery operated?
Mains operated smoke or heat alarms, connected to the building’s electricity supply, will have a steady green LED light to show it has power. Battery operated smoke or heat alarms will have a quick flash every 30-45 seconds. We will check hard wired smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as part of our ongoing electrical safety checks.
What if you can’t hear the smoke or heat alarm?
If you’re deaf or have hearing loss, it’s vital that you have a smoke alarm system fitted in your home that can alert you to potential danger. These systems don’t just rely on loud noise to alert you, they include sensory alerts specially for people with hearing loss, such as:
- Vibrating pads
- Vibrating pagers
- Flashing lights
Please contact us to let us know if you‘re deaf or have hearing loss so we can discuss options for you.
Use fire doors correctly
- Don't wedge fire doors open – they are designed to resist the spread of fire for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Self-closing devices on doors help ensure that doors close on their own. This means you don't have to close them behind you.
- Please report any doors that are broken as soon as you notice them.
If a fire starts in your own home
If there was a fire, would you know what to do? Make sure you and your family plan and know your escape route. Ensure you always have a clear escape route, so there’s no chance of trips or falls if you need to leave the building.
Alert everyone in your home that there is an emergency. Leave quickly, closing your doors behind you.
Please don’t forget, if a fire breaks out in your home, always phone 999.
Balcony safety
- Keep your balcony clear – do not store lots of items or flammable materials, such as cardboard.
- Don’t fix additional timber or flammable screening to your balcony.
- Barbecues are not permitted on balconies due to the fire safety risk they pose – this is in line with the terms of our tenancy and lease agreements.
Use electrical equipment with care
- An extension lead or adaptor will have a limit to how many amps it can take so, to help reduce the risk of fire, be careful not to overload them.
- Switch off and unplug electrical equipment before you go to bed, except things like fridges and freezers.
- Never pour water on fires caused by electrical appliances.
Take care when cooking
Did you know that over half of accidental home fires start in the kitchen? According the the Fire Brigade this is often when cooking appliances, such as pans are left unattended, or items such as a tea towel left too close to the cooker.
Safely charging an e-bike or e-scooter
Most e-bikes and e-scooters are powered by lithium-ion batteries which can be charged in the home.
It is important when charging e-bikes and e-scooters that you do it safely to avoid the risk of a fire starting and putting your family and home at risk.
- Turn off your scooter while charging.
- Do not leave batteries charging unattended or overnight.
- Purchase batteries from reputable sellers and use the original charger provided.
Keep communal areas clear
To help keep yourself and your neighbours safe, please keep communal areas clear of scooters, prams or other belongings. These can block exit routes and provide fuel for a fire
Familiarise yourself with the Fire Safety Notice for your building
The safety advice on what to do if there’s ever a fire is different for each building.
Please check the Fire Safety Notice for your building which you can find in the communal areas, usually by lifts.
It tells you what to do in the event of a fire, and if it’s safer to evacuate, or remain in your home until the fire service arrive.