Keeping your council house safe

Fire kills. By keeping your home safe and tidy you reduce the risk of fire in your home.

In the event of a fire, get out, stay out and call 999.

What to do if there's a fire

In the event that there is a fire in your home:

• try to keep calm and get everybody out as quickly as possible
• if there’s smoke, keep low where the air is clearer
• don’t waste time investigating the fire or trying to rescue valuables
• only open doors to escape. Keeping doors closed slows the spread of fire
• test each door you need to go through with the back of your hand before opening it. Do not open the door if it is warm or hot as this may indicate that fire is on the other side
• leave the house and call 999
• call us when safe to do so on our emergency line: 0800 561 0010

Fire safety at home

Most fires in the home can be prevented. To reduce the risk you should:

• regularly remove any waste which can burn from living areas and property access and dispose of it in the right bin
• keep the areas around your electricity meter, gas meter, and electrical distribution board clear at all times
• not store excessive amounts of turpentine, brush cleaner or other flammable material in your home. Any you do have should be stored outside where possible in suitable sealed containers
• not use bottled gas, paraffin, petrol or other dangerous substances in your home or the shared areas as outlined in your tenancy agreement
• ensure lights and candles are positioned away from curtains and other materials that can catch fire easily
• keep matches and lighters are out of children’s reach
• ensure upholstered furniture is fire-resistant, remember to check for the fire-resistant label
• ensure candles and cigarettes are properly extinguished at night
• ensure gas and electric meter and electrical distribution board areas kept clear.

If you spot any problems, put them right straight away.

Smoke alarms

Fire safety in the kitchen

There are ways you can reduce the risk of fire in your kitchen, including:

• ensure that cookers, grills and toasters are cleaned regularly and switched off at night
• keep tea towels, cloths and electric cables away from cooker hobs and toasters
• ensure the area above the cooker is clear of waste that can burn
• if you deep fry food, pat it dry before you put it in the hot oil. If the oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat and leave the pan to cool
• never fill chip pans more than one-third full of oil
• never leave the pan unattended when heat is switched on
• don’t take risks. If the pan catches fire, turn off the heat, get everyone out of your home and call 999 asking for the Fire and Rescue Service
• for a safer cooking method use a deep fat fryer which is controlled by thermostatic cut-off devices. This is a much safer alternative to conventional chip pan cooking methods
• never throw water over a chip pan fire.

Electrical safety

There are ways you can reduce the risk of fire through taking electrical safety precautions, including:

• no more than one plug per wall socket
• ensure appliances running off adaptors do not exceed 13 amps in total
• fuses are the correct rating for each appliance
• ensure there are no loose, damaged or taped up cables or leads
• ensure there are no scorch marks on plugs or sockets
• unplug electrical appliances when not in use

Your responsibilities as a tenant

In your tenancy agreement there’s information on your role in maintaining and reporting fire and structural safety issues. This includes:

• not leaving obstructions in corridors, walkways or an entrance/exit to a building, or in front of fire doors
• not blocking lifts or staircases
• removing rubbish promptly
• not putting flammable items in bin chutes or internal bin storage areas
• not keeping fire doors open
• not keeping or charging mobility scooters in common areas
• not placing furniture or electrical equipment in corridors and common areas
• not smoking in common areas
• conducting home fire safety checks

Sheltered housing and flats

There are some very important yet simple steps you can take to help reduce the risk of a fire starting and spreading within the building you live in.

If there is a fire in your flat, you must get out. However, if the fire is in another part of the building the advice is to stay put.

By keeping your living and communal areas safe and tidy and following these steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of a fire spreading:

• check what the Emergency Evacuation Plan is for your sheltered accommodation or flat and familiarise yourself with all the information provided on the Fire Action Notices posted in the communal areas of your sheltered accommodation or block of flats
• make sure your flat entrance door closes correctly. You must never interfere with or disconnect flat entrance door self-closing devices
• flat entrance doors form part of protected escape routes along communal corridors and stairwells, so do not wedge your flat door open or interfere with the door’s self-closing device, as this can compromise fire safety in your home and along escape routes
• your flat door will be inspected annually please assist by providing us access to undertake the inspection. You have a responsibility to help us fulfil our legal responsibility by being present when their flat entrance doors are due for inspection or maintenance
• fire doors along communal corridors also form part of protected escape routes and must be kept closed when not in use 
• make sure communal doors, such as main entrance doors, access doors to bin stores and storage cupboards, are kept closed and secured or locked, to prevent unauthorised access at all times
• make sure waste that can burn is disposed of in the appropriate waste bins
• make sure waste items such as unwanted furniture are not left in communal areas as this is a clear fire risk and can block off or obstruct emergency escape routes. These should be disposed of safely by booking a bulky waste collection or taking them to the nearest recycling centre or tip
• familiarise yourself with all the information provided on the Fire Action posters in your sheltered accommodation or flat
• test your smoke alarm regularly
• Any faults identified with the smoke alarm or with any other fire safety arrangements such as your flat entrance door, communal fire doors or self-closing devices should be reported immediately