Fire Safety is a key priority
The recent tragic events have naturally heightened everyone’s concerns around fire safety but we would seek to reassure our tenants that fire safety has always been and will continue to be a top priority for us.
We would like to reassure our tenants, their families, carers and our support providers that we have not fitted external cladding to any of our properties and do not manage high rise developments.
All our blocks and Retirement Living Courts have up to date fire risk assessments which confirm we have appropriate fire precautions in place. We have an on going programme of improvements works to ensure fire doors remain in good working order, compartmentalisation has not been breached and replacement doors and alterations to existing doors meet requirements. Should you wish to view the fire risk assessment for your building please contact the housing repair team in respect of blocks of flats or the court manager if you are in a retirement living court.
If you live in a flat our advice is to ‘stay put’ until you receive advice from the emergency services to do differently. If smoke, heat or flames enter your home and only if it is safe to do so, leave straight away. This guidance is in line with that given by the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.
Fire Safety within our Homes: Awareness and Prevention
“Did you know that faulty electrics (appliances, wiring and overloaded sockets) are a cause of 4,000 fires in homes every year or that half of home fires start because of cooking accidents” (Gov, 2022).
It is important that we take fire safety seriously within our homes and understand how to minimize the risk of potential fires occurring. This will help keep you, your family and your home safe.
Who is responsible for fire safety?
You as the tenant and us as your landlord share an equal responsibility for maintaining fire safety within the building.
What are the tenant’s responsibilities for fire safety?
- Not storing or using any inflammable/explosive substances which could be deemed as a fire hazard on or in the property without getting the councils written consent.
- Ensuring that you do not block fire escape routes or fire extinguishers that are present within the building. Communal areas include but is not limited to:
- The shared corridors and stairwells in blocks or flats.
- Shared lounges
- Kitchens and lavatories or other shared spaces in retirement living courts
- Outside spaces
- Talking to members of your household about what to do in the event of a fire and practice using your escape route.
- Ensuring that your visitors are aware of the fire safety measures and know where to evacuate in case of a fire.
- Not using any loft space for storage.
- Allowing access to your property at all reasonable hours to enable us as your landlord to fulfil our landlord health and safety duties or repairs.
- Ensuring your property is well maintained and easily accessible: to dispose and recycle any unwanted items and waste and not to hoard items. *
- Reporting any concerns or repairs that you may have to us as your landlord.
- Test your smoke alarm regularly and report any issues promptly.
- Ensure fire doors are kept closed, unless on an automatic system such as in retirement living courts.
- Do not tamper with any self-closing devices on fire doors or wedge door open.
- Ensure any faults or damage to fire doors are reported immediately.
- Do not change or alter the door in anyway if it leads onto a communal area. This includes attaching/fixing or sticking anything to the door.
*Please dispose of rubbish in the bins provided. For large items, the Council operates a bulky refuse service. For further details please see
https://www.wealden.gov.uk/recycling-and-waste/bulky-household-waste-collections/
What are landlord responsibilities for fire safety?
- Providing smoke alarms on each floor of your home.
- Install carbon monoxide alarms where there is a gas boiler/solid fuel or wood burner.
- Undertaking monthly fire risk assessment checks to communal areas within blocks of flats or retirement living.
- Provide checks to smoke alarms when the property is let to ensure they are working correctly.
- Repair and maintain smoke alarms and electrical faults.
- Making sure front doors to communal areas and flats in blocks/retirement living are self-closing fire doors.
- Ensuring any fire equipment provided in communal areas are fit for use.
- Undertaking annual Gas safety checks where properties have a gas supply including testing of carbon monoxide alarms.
- Removing any items left in the communal areas -the Council will take immediate action to remove them and re-charge the cost of doing so back to tenant/s responsible.
- In Retirement Living we will create an evacuation plan and make sure everyone in the building knows the plan in the event of a fire.
If you have any further concerns regarding fire safety please do not hesitate to contact us on 01323 443322 or for further advice visit the East Sussex Fire Rescue Service home safety visits web page
Do you know the different sounds of your carbon monoxide alarm and your smoke alarm?
Listen to this video Heat vs CO Sounds so you know what action you need to take when an alarm sounds.