Home safety advice

Keep it clear

Excessive items around the home are a fire hazard and it’s one of the ways that fires can be caused. 

Communal areas must be clear from furniture, carpets, curtains, other items and they must never be used for storage. Please ensure there’s always a clear escape route in the event of a fire.

A fire will spread quickly when there’s more fuel. Combustible and flammable items such as paper, cardboard, clothing and electrical items can ignite quickly.

Mobility scooters are just one example of something we see as a fire risk, especially when they are left within an escape route. They can be incredibly dangerous and must always be correctly stored and maintained.

Electrical fakes

Fake electrical products often contain faulty parts that can overheat and catch fire or give a fatal electric shock. If a bargain seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always check the label, make sure electrical appliances have a British safety mark when you buy them.

Socket overload

Don’t overload plug sockets. 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.

Candle safety

To prevent candle fires from starting in your home, you should make sure they are kept away from flammable materials like curtains. Always place lit candles away from pets and children and remember to put them out when you leave the room.

Home contents insurance

Don’t be caught out – accidents do happen. We recommend you take out home contents insurance. It helps replace your personal property in the event of damage. We have specially designed schemes for you. Call us to find out more details. Alternatively, you can arrange it through your own insurer.

Register your white goods

Register your white goods – it could save your life if a product is recalled for safety reasons. You can check if an electrical product you own is under a recall notice at www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/recall

Kitchen safety

Did you know that over half of accidental home fires start in the kitchen? Often with cooking appliances, such as pans left unattended, or items such as a tea towel left too close to the cooker.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

We will check hard wired smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as part of our electrical safety checks, however as an extra safety measure we recommend that you check them frequently too.

Setting a routine reminder can ensure that they’re in full working order and we can identify any problems. Alarms save lives and in the event of a fire or carbon monoxide incident, they can give you valuable time to escape and call 999 in the case of an emergency.

Having a working smoke alarm is incredibly important. They save lives. But sometimes they can activate at times when it can be prevented, like when there’s crumbs on the toaster, burnt food or grease in the oven. 

Please keep yourself and others in the building safe by:  

• Not smoking or vaping in the corridors and stairways
• Disposing of any discarded cigarettes appropriately
• Leave all communal areas clear.

Make testing your alarms part of your weekly routine and report any faults immediately. If you’re unsure what to do, please ask a member of the Building Safety Team.

Plan your escape

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.

Don’t play with fire

While a fire may seem like an easy way of getting rid of home and garden rubbish, this brings an increased risk of fire to the home. Please ensure you dispose of rubbish and unwanted goods responsibly. If you are cooking outdoors, please follow some simple safety advice – never leave a barbeque unattended, keep the flames well away from your shed and fence and never use petrol or paraffin.

Gas and electrical safety 

Enjoy peace of mind with our free safety and maintenance checks. It’s a legal requirement that we ensure gas and electrical appliances are running safely. We’ll get in touch to arrange an appointment when your appliances are due to be serviced. Please make sure that someone is at home to let the engineer in on the day of your appointment or if you need to rearrange, just give us a call.

Stub it out safely

The best way to prevent smoking related fires is to stop smoking for good, but we know it is not that easy, so please, if you have to smoke, smoke responsibly and be safe. It is much safer to smoke outside, but always make sure cigarettes are put right out and disposed of properly.

Please don’t forget, if a fire breaks out in your home, always phone 999.

If you need any advice on building and fire safety, please contact the Building Safety Team on 0300 111 1000.