Your Home - Practical Fire Safety & Water Safety Tips
Barbecues, fire pits and outdoor flames
Planning a barbecue or spending time outdoors? Please take extra care with anything that produces heat or flames. Never use barbecues, fire pits, chimineas or candles on balconies, or near sheds, fences, gazebos, trees or bushes.
- Use only recognised barbecue lighter or starter fuel.
- Never use petrol or paraffin to start or revive a fire.
- Make sure matches and lighters are kept out of reach of children.
- Always stay with barbecues and fires and make sure they are fully out before you leave them.
- Let ashes and embers cool fully before placing them on bare soil; never put them in a bin while hot.
- Do not burn items in your garden.
Balcony and communal area safety
Balconies and shared spaces are there for everyone to enjoy, so it is important to keep them clear and safe. A small fire can spread quickly, so never use a barbecue in these areas or throw cigarettes from a balcony or window.
- Keep flammable items, including gas cylinders, away from balconies.
- Keep gas cylinders away from combustible materials and avoid storing them in sheds.
- Help protect everyone in the building by keeping communal entrance doors closed and never propping them open.
Water safety during warm weather and holidays
If you are heading away on holiday, or if parts of your home are not used often, it is worth taking a few minutes to keep water flowing in the home. This helps reduce the risk of bacteria building up in standing water.
- Run all taps, showers and water outlets at least once a week.
- After a holiday or if your home has been empty for more than two weeks, flush toilets and run hot and cold taps and showers for 5–10 minutes.
- Clean showerheads regularly and keep taps free from limescale or debris.
- Drain hosepipes after use, keep them out of direct sunlight and remove any standing water.
Smoke alarm safety
Smoke alarms save lives, so it is important to keep them working. We fit smoke alarms on each floor of every home we own and check them every year as part of our safety inspections. You can help by testing your smoke alarm weekly and never disconnecting it or removing the batteries.
If your smoke alarm is not working, please contact our Customer Services Team on 0300 303 8540 and we will arrange a free replacement.
Need help or advice?
Whether it is a fire safety concern, a communal area issue, a water hygiene risk or a faulty smoke alarm, reporting it early helps keep everyone safe.