Fire safety

Smoke alarms save lives

As your landlord, we are required to provide you with a smoke alarm. As the tenant, you are responsible for making sure your smoke alarm is in good working order. Make sure you:

 

• Test your smoke alarm every month. To do this you will need to press the circular test button on the alarm.
• Check the date sticker on the alarm (the recommended replacement date should be written on the side of the alarm). If this date is close or has passed, please contact us to arrange a replacement. The alarm should continue to work after this date but we recommend replacing it.

 

Most, if not all fire and rescue services offer what is commonly known as a Safe and Well visit. Some may still refer to them as Home Fire Risk Assessments or Home Fire Safety Checks. You can contact your local fire and rescue service, and book your Safe and Well visit via one of the following links:

 

Click here if you live in West Sussex

Click here if you live in East Sussex

Click here if you live in Hampshire

 

Take care with electrics

If you're concerned about the electrics in your property, let us know straight away. This includes issues such as burn marks around plugs or cables. To minimise the risk of electrical fires in your home, be sure to:

 

• use a proper adaptor when using a non-UK electrical appliance (never put a two prong plug into a three prong socket)
• don't use heaters for drying clothes and keep them a safe distance away to prevent them from catching fire

 

If you notice an electrical fault in your property, don't try and fix this issue yourself. Give a member of the team a call on 01403 226000 and we'll be happy to arrange for one of our qualified electricians to attend your property.

 

Cigarette and candle safety

To ensure your home remains a safe haven for you and your family, make sure:

 

• cigarettes are put out properly when you're finished with them
• candles and tealights are kept away from materials that could catch fire (such as curtains) and are properly blown out before being left unoccupied

 

Know your surroundings

In case a fire should ever break out in your home, it's important that you and your family know how to get out of your property safely. It's important that you:

 

• establish where the fire exits and alarms are if you live in an apartment block, or on a floor above ground level
• count how many doors you might need to go through to leave your property and get outside (it can be hard to see in smoke and you might become confused about where you are)
• keep all exits clear, even in communal areas - click here for more information 
• keep fire doors closed (they can prevent the spread of a fire in your home by up to 20 minutes)
• keep door and window keys in a place where everyone can find them

 

For more information about fire safety in your home, click here.

 

Balcony fire safety

We want you to be able to enjoy your balcony safely. However, if a fire was to start on your balcony it could spread much faster than inside a building, putting other balconies, people and properties at risk.

 

Click here for our balcony safety guidance.