Fire safety

If we’ve recently rewired your home, your smoke/heat alarms will be manufactured by Aico. You can find more information about your smoke alarm on their website in these how to videos. We install the 160RC series of alarms; the lithium battery inside does not need replacing.

If your smoke alarm is not an Aico one, please make sure you’re familiar with how to test the alarm and change the batteries, if necessary.

When you test your smoke alarm, you could help a neighbour, friend or older family member to test theirs. It doesn’t take long and gives those you care about a better chance of surviving a fire.

Download tips on fire safety in the home and at work.

We’ve more helpful information on how to keep safe from fire in the home in our fire safety advice leaflet.

As your landlord, we must fit at least one smoke alarm on each floor of the properties you rent. We must also fit a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm in any room with a carbon burning appliance (except a gas cooker). 

We must test every alarm at the start of a new tenancy.

You can find more safety information about carbon monoxide here.

The number of fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters is increasing, posing a real risk to life and property. Here’s some guidance to help keep you safe.

Take care when charging and follow the manufacturer’s instructions

– Use the manufacturer’s approved charger. If you see any signs of wear and tear or damage, buy an official replacement charger from a reputable seller.
– Unplug your charger when it’s finished charging and ensure you don’t overcharge your battery – check the manufacturer’s instructions for charge times.
– Always charge batteries whilst you are awake and alert, so if a fire should occur you can respond quickly. Don’t leave batteries to charge while you’re asleep or away from home.
– Chargers and battery packs can overheat, leading to a fire, so never cover them whilst charging.
– Don’t charge batteries or store your e-bike/e-scooter near combustible or flammable materials.
– Do not overload socket outlets or use inappropriate extension leads – use uncoiled extensions and ensure the lead is suitably rated for what you are plugging in to it.
– Ensure you have working smoke alarms. If you charge or store your e-bike/e-scooter in a garage or kitchen, ensure you have heat alarms rather than smoke detectors for these areas.
– In the event of an e-bike/e-scooter or lithium-ion battery fire – do not attempt to extinguish the fire. Get out, stay out, call 999.
 
Storing your e-bike/e-scooter
– Avoid storing, or charging, e-bikes/e-scooters in communal areas of buildings or on escape routes. If there is a fire, it can affect people’s ability to escape.
– Store e-bikes/e-scooters and their batteries in a cool place. Avoid storing them in excessively hot or cold areas.
– Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for storing and maintaining lithium-ion batteries if they’re not going to be used for extended periods of time.
 
Damage and disposal
– Batteries can be damaged by dropping them or by crashing e-bikes/e-scooters. If the battery’s damaged, it can overheat and catch fire without warning. Check your battery regularly for signs of damage and if you suspect it is damaged, replace it – don’t use it or try to charge it.
– If you need to dispose of a damaged or dead battery, don’t put it in your household waste or normal recycling. When punctured or crushed, these batteries can cause fires in bin lorries, recycling and waste centres. Your e-bike/e-scooter manufacturer may offer a recycling service. Alternatively, check with your local authority for suitable battery recycling arrangements in your area.

Communal areas of residential blocks, including hallways, stairs and shared balconies, are our responsibility. We have a legal obligation to ensure these areas remain safe to use. This is why we ask that they remain free of items that could cause or contribute to a fire, or even prevent you from escaping in the event of a fire.

Colleagues and contractors visit our housing schemes regularly. Where they find items left or stored in a communal area, they will try to identify the owner and ask that the item is removed immediately.

If the items aren’t removed, or the owner can’t be identified, we will arrange for the items to be removed. This will apply to all items, even if they’re needed or in constant use. This is because your safety is paramount.

If we can identify the owner of the item(s), we will charge them for removal costs. If we can’t identify them, then we will split the cost equally between residents through their service charge.

We do understand that storage space is limited, especially for those living in small flats. However, for everyone’s safety, it is important that you keep all your personal belongings inside your home.