Your health and safety, and the health and safety of our staff and contractors, are our top priority.
You can download our health and safety leaflets for more details on each of the areas covered below.
If you have health and safety concerns at any time, please contact us (see page 50).
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that used to be a popular building material. Unfortunately, it is also dangerous to health and has been banned in the UK since 1999.
We keep records of where we find asbestos and regularly check its condition. Materials in a good condition are not a threat to your health and it can be safest to leave them in place. However, we will remove or make safe any material that is damaged.
Make sure you:
- give us access for asbestos checks
- get our advice if you are planning any DIY or home improvements, or decorating, if you have Artex on walls and ceilings
- treat asbestos with respect – avoid damaging materials, avoid DIY in nearby areas, and never attempt to remove asbestos, or clean up debris, and
- contact us if you think you have damaged asbestos in your home.
Download our asbestos leaflet for more details.
Balcony fires can spread much faster than fires inside your building – because there is an unlimited amount of oxygen to keep them burning and they can quickly be blown upwards and outwards by the wind.
Make sure you:
- keep your balcony clear of clutter, rubbish and appliances
- don’t use a barbecue or store flammable materials on your balcony
- don’t get rid of a cigarette by flicking it over the side of the building.
Download our balconies leaflet for more details.
We carry out regular electrical safety checks on wiring, switches, light fittings in your homes and communal areas, at least every five years.
We will contact you when your electrical safety check up is due. Please give our contractor access. If you don’t, we may have to take action to gain entry to your home.
Download our electrical safety leaflet for more details.
To avoid electrical hazards between checks:
- check regularly for worn or damaged leads, plugs, appliances, sockets or switches
- call in an NICEIC-accredited engineer to fix problems that are a tenant responsibility (see our Repairs guidance and responsibilities handbook)
- report electrical problems that are our responsibility straight away
- follow manufacturer’s instructions when using appliances
- don’t bring portable mains-powered appliances into the bathroom, or use any electrical appliance with wet hands.
Fire blankets can be a useful tool to have in your home, providing you use them in the correct way.
Download our fire blankets leaflet for more details.
If your flat opens onto a communal area, your front door has to be a fire door, which can withstand fire for at least 30 minutes. It will be fitted with a self-closing device and seals around the edge that fill small gaps for extra smoke protection. We regularly check our fire doors.
Make sure you:
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- always let your door fully close – if it no longer closes by itself, tell us straight away
- tell us if your door, door frame or self-closer get damaged – do not remove or disconnect the self-closer
- tell us if any of the fire/smoke seals or brushes are missing or loose – including in your letterbox – never remove these seals, and
- tell us if fire doors in the corridors are faulty, and
- never drill holes in your front door to fit door furniture or a cat flap.
Download our fire doors leaflet for more details.
In the UK, around 500 people die every year because of fire. Most fires happen when people are asleep.
Make sure you:
- have an escape plan – and know if you are expected to ‘stay put’ or evacuate in a fire
- test your fire alarms weekly, replace batteries when needed, or call us if a mains alarm is not working
- tell us/your local fire and rescue service if someone in your home might not be able to escape
- don’t leave rubbish or personal items in corridors, stairways or meter cupboards, because they could catch fire or cause an obstruction in a fire – we may remove any items we find without giving you notice
- be very careful with cigarettes, candles and other lit flames, and keep matches and lighters away from children
- don’t overload electrical sockets and unplug most electrical appliances at night
- never leave pans unattended and if one catches fire, don’t throw water on it – turn off the heat if you can do it safely, leave the room, shut the door and call 999
- close all doors, especially at night, to prevent fire spreading
- if you have an e-bike or e-scooter: never buy cheap or secondhand batteries; charge them away from escape routes and never at night or when you are out; and regularly check for signs of failure – if the battery gets very hot, bulges, leaks, hisses, smells strong or takes longer to charge.
Download our fire safety leaflet for more details.
There is also useful information on the London Fire Brigade website. You may be eligible for one of their free home fire safety visits.
The law states that we must check every gas appliance annually, to make sure they are working safely. Read more about Gas Servicing
Make sure you:
- give our gas contractors access for your check
- watch for signs your appliance is faulty and contact us straight away if you have concerns – look particularly at your heating pilot light, which should be blue not yellow or orange
- don’t block gas appliance air vents
- don’t allow anyone to fit or repair a gas appliance in your home, including a gas cooker, unless they are a Gas Safe registered engineer
- if you can smell gas, or think they may be a carbon monoxide leak, call the Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111999.
Download our gas safety leaflet for more details.
We do not allow residents to fit metal security gates or grilles at our properties. This is because they could slow down your escape from a fire, or make it difficult for fire fighters to access the premises in an emergency.
If you fit a grille without our permission, we will get it removed and disposed of.
Download our security gates leaflet for more details.
We carry out checks to make sure that your water supply is not contaminated with legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaire’s Disease.
Legionnaire’s Disease, is a form of pneumonia that can be lethal. It caused by inhaling small water droplets from contaminated sources. You cannot get Legionnaire’s Disease from drinking water.
Download our water safety leaflet for more details and tips about keep your water supply safe.