Fire safety

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Keeping homes safe is our top priority. We work closely with authorities, like the Fire Brigade, to achieve this, but we also need your help.

What we do to keep you safe

• We provide support for residents to evacuate - please see below. If you or members of your household need support to evacuate please contact us.
• Carry out fire risk assessments with the fire service on all our buildings to identify any action required.
• Install fire alarm systems in all our new-build blocks and supported housing properties.
• Maintain smoke and heat detectors in general needs homes. All other residents are responsible for installing and/or maintaining their own detectors inside their homes.
• Check fire doors regularly, as they help stop fire and smoke spreading through a building.
• Update you on fire safety issues by letter and on posters on noticeboards.
• Inspect our blocks regularly to make sure that escape routes are clear. We also install smoke control systems where necessary to keep them clear of smoke if there is a fire.
• Run fire awareness days across many of our estates with the local fire service to share information and test and fit free smoke alarms.
• Remove household and other flammable items from corridors or cupboards in communal hallways. As well as fuelling fires, these can block escape routes in an emergency.
• Carry out further checks on taller buildings and those with cladding.

What you can do to help

• Make sure everyone in the household knows what to do in the unlikely event of a fire. Details are in your sign-up pack.
• Keep communal areas (corridors, stairs, entrance halls and outside your front door) clear of personal belongings and rubbish.
• If you own an e-scooter or e-bike, please be careful when charging batteries - please follow the advice issued by the London Fire Brigade. Although we recognise that electric bikes and e-scooters are becoming common modes of transport, please note that residents aren’t permitted to store or charge them in communal areas. You can learn more here.
• Never have a barbecue on your balcony and ensure anything stored on the balcony is fireproof.
• Clean the filters in your cooker hood regularly to prevent any build-up of grease and oil that could catch fire
• Read any information we send you about fire safety.
• Call us on 0300 123 9966 if you spot any fire safety issues, such as faulty fire doors or emergency lights, or if you see rubbish or other items stored in communal areas.
• Test your smoke alarms every month. If an alarm starts bleeping, you need to change the battery immediately.

Do you need support to evacuate?

Keeping residents safe is our top priority. If you or members of your household need support to evacuate in the event of an emergency, it’s important that you let us know. You might need help to evacuate if, for example, you or someone in your household has mobility issues or a visual or hearing impairment. Or there may be young children or elderly people living with you.

We use the information you provide to help us create personal emergency evacuation plans (known as a PEEPs) if support to evacuate is needed. We share the information with the Fire Brigade and any fire wardens at your development so that they can make sure you and members of your household can be safely evacuated in case of an emergency.

Free home fire safety visits

Fire brigades offer free home visits to talk to you about fire safety in your home.

London residents can book a visit. Berkshire residents can get further information at www.rbfrs.co.uk.

Building Safety Engagement Strategy

• Building Safety Engagement Strategy (245.7 KB)