Fire safety in council homes
We take fire safety extremely seriously and we take a number of measures to make your home as safe as possible.
A smoke alarm can increase your chance of surviving a fire by up to four times. We provide smoke alarms and test them every year but you are personally responsible for making sure they continue to work. You should test your smoke alarms every month and if they are faulty, tell us immediately.
In addition, ensure that you and your family members follow the advice below:
- Be careful with electrics. Avoid overloading sockets and limit each socket to one plug.
- Use a proper adaptor if you are using an electrical appliance not originally from the UK. Never put two-prong plugs into three-prong sockets.
- Don’t use heaters for drying clothes and keep them a safe distance away to avoid them catching fire.
- Tell us immediately if you are worried about the electrics in your home and especially if you notice burn marks around plugs or cables.
- Never fix faulty electrics yourself; please report any issues and concerns to us as soon as possible.
Candles and cigarettes
- Make sure cigarettes are put out properly after you have finished with them.
- Be extra careful if you have been drinking alcohol or taking medication which can make you drowsy.
- Be careful with candles and tealights. Don’t put them on or near things which could burn or catch fire, such as curtains.
Plan your escape from a fire
- Plan an escape route and make sure everyone knows how to escape if there is a fire. It could save your life.
- Work out where the fire exits and alarms are if you live in a high-rise building.
- Count how many doors you might need to go through to escape. It can be hard to see in smoke and you might become confused about where you are.
- Keep all exits clear and uncluttered – including in communal areas used by all tenants.
- Keep fire doors closed. They help to slow down the speed at which fire spreads and will give you extra time to get out.
Keep door and window keys where everyone can find them.