Fire safety in your home
Your building has been designed and built with fire safety in mind. All homes and communal areas are fitted with at least one smoke alarm. Shared corridors in blocks of flats have self-closing fire doors designed to stop the spread of fire and smoke.
We carry out regular fire risk assessments of the shared areas of all our properties. These are reviewed and updated every year. If you notice any damaged fire safety equipment, please tell us straight away.
- Keep the exits in your home clear so everyone can escape in the event of a fire. Make sure the door and window keys are easy to find
- Don't wedge self-closing doors open. They should be kept closed to prevent fire and smoke spreading
- Decide on the easiest way out of your home and make sure everyone knows how to escape if there is a fire. Before you open the door, check the door and handle with your hand. Never open the door if it feels warm, as there may be a fire on the other side
- If you live in a flat you need to decide how to get to somewhere safe outside. There may be a fire escape staircase nearer to your door than the main staircase.
- Switch off and unplug electrical equipment before you go to bed, except for appliances that are designed to be left on, like your fridge
- Don't overload electrical sockets
- Don't pour or throw water on electrical appliances or a fire that has been caused by an electrical appliance
- Be careful with cookers and appliances, as fires often start in kitchens
- Check that plugs, leads and electrical equipment are safe and well-maintained. If you notice hot or scorched plugs or sockets, ask a qualified electrician to check your wiring
- If you have an electrical fire in your home, pull out the plug at the wall or switch off the power at the fuse box.
Test all the smoke alarms in your property once a week, and fit new batteries when needed. Please contact us if you are unsure how to test your smoke alarm.
If you live in a flat, or at one of our supported schemes, all shared corridors are fitted with smoke alarms, which we test regularly. The smoke alarms will continue to work if the power is cut.