Fire safety in your home

We’re committed to keeping you safe – and that means working together to reduce fire risks in your home and building. 

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms  

We check hard-wired alarms during electrical safety visits, but we recommend you test them regularly too.  

Set a weekly reminder to check your alarms. If they’re not working properly, report it straight away. Alarms save lives by giving you time to escape and call 999. 

Fire doors 

Fire doors are designed to slow the spread of fire and smoke – giving people time to escape safely. They’re a vital part of your building’s fire protection. 

Our joinery specialists inspect flat doors and communal fire doors to make sure they meet safety standards. 

If you live in a flat: 

• don’t remove or adjust the door closer 
• never leave a fire door open 
• report any faults immediately – doors should close fully at all times 

Contact the Building Safety Team to report a fault.

Keeping shared spaces safe 

Everyone has a role to play in keeping communal areas safe and clear. Items left in corridors, staircases or landings can block escape routes or increase fire risk. 

Please keep these areas free from: 

• pictures or decorations (check with us if you live in extra care or sheltered housing) 
• doormats, plants, ornaments or ramps 
• furniture 
• clothing 
• mobility scooters or bikes 
• rubbish or unwanted items 
• personal items like wheelchairs or shopping trolleys. 

If items aren’t removed within the time we’ve agreed, we may need to remove them to keep everyone safe.

Special considerations 

In care and support buildings, we sometimes allow small items outside flat doors to help customers with dementia or Alzheimer’s find their homes more easily. Our team will work with you to make sure these are safe and appropriate. 

We also follow up on any maintenance issues that could affect fire safety. 

Sprinkler systems in high-rise homes 

Some homes have sprinkler systems to add an extra layer of fire protection. These systems activate when heat reaches a high temperature near the sprinkler head. 

Only the sprinkler closest to the heat will activate – not all at once. 

Preventing damage to sprinkler systems

Sprinklers can be accidentally triggered by heat from decorating tools like steam strippers or warm air paint strippers. Please avoid using these near sprinkler heads. 

If the plastic cap is loose or missing, or if the sprinkler leaks: 

• call 0300 111 1000 immediately 
• let us know there’s no fire to avoid unnecessary callouts 
• move electrical items out of the way and turn them off 
• try to catch the water with a cloth and bucket if safe to do so 
• keep an eye out for our team so they can access your home quickly 

We’ll replace damaged sprinkler heads as soon as possible. Your flat will be isolated until it’s fixed, but don’t worry – other fire detection systems will still be active. 

If you have any questions or concerns, our Building Safety Team and Building Support Team are here to help.