Fire safety

With all sorts of appliances in your homes that could start a fire, it’s important that we take the time to check them regularly and make sure that you’re not at risk. We do this through fire risk assessments and a number of more regular checks.

Our Fire Safety Policy sets out what you can expect from us.

What to do in the event of a fire

We are required by law to provide all of our customers who live in a multi-occupied residential building with fire safety information. We are required to give you instructions on:

• What to do in the event of a fire.
• A reminder of what the evacuation procedure is for that building.
• Fire door information.

Please make yourself aware of the fire policy within your building. It will either be ‘Stay Put’ or ‘Simultaneous Evacuation’. There will be fire notices in your building that will show you the policy.

• If your building has a ‘Stay Put’ policy, and unless a fire breaks out in your property, stay put and wait for the fire service to attend.
• If your building has a ‘Simultaneous Evacuation’ policy, evacuate the building by the nearest fire exit to a safe distance from the building and wait for the for service to attend

If you notice any damage to your fire door please report it to us on 0300 5000 600.

What is a fire risk assessment?

Each year we carry out a fire risk assessment (FRA) of buildings that share communal spaces. These can be hallways, stairwells, or community centres. We do this to keep you safe, but also because we want to understand more about what risks there are in your home and how we can improve safety.

Why do I need to have a fire risk assessment?

The most important reason we carry out an FRA is to keep you and anyone you may live with safe. If you think one of our buildings is unsafe or there is a risk of a fire then please let us know immediately.

What can I expect from a fire risk assessment?

We employ a company called Savills to carry out FRAs for us. Their fire risk assessors are experts and fully qualified to make sure your building is safe to live in. The assessment is carried out on our shared spaces such as hallways, stairwells and communal lounges. This means there is nothing you need to do.

After the assessment they will provide us with a report which identifies what needs to be done and what level of risk there is. Once we have this, we then take action on any potential risks.

What else does Connect do in regards to fire safety?

Each week we test fire alarms, door closers and any other equipment relating to fire safety within your building. We also inspect all communal spaces weekly for items which may cause obstructions to fire exit routes. If we do find an obstruction, we will leave a note informing you that you need to move the item. Any items we find that are unaccounted for will have to be removed and disposed of.

How can I help in reducing fire risk in my building?

• Keep all hallways and stairwells free from obstructions such as chairs, bikes, prams etc. These areas need to remain clear in the event of an evacuation.
• Rubbish and combustible items in these areas also pose an unnecessary risk of fire breaking out.
• Don’t let rubbish and combustibles pile up immediately outside the building. Please use the bins provided or arrange for larger items to be collected.
• Please ensure bin stores are closed and locked after use.