We all play a part in staying safe. On this page, you can find advice and guidance on what you can do as our resident to help with fire safety.
Fires are almost always an accident and can be prevented. If the worst should happen, you need a working fire alarm and a safe exit route.
For an overview on what we do to help keep you safe, click below:
When you go to bed, make sure you’ve closed all internal doors
Take care in the kitchen – most fires start here, so never leave your cooking unattended and take extra care with hot oil
Never leave lit candles unattended
Make sure cigarettes are stubbed out and disposed of carefully. Never smoke in bed
Don’t overload electrical sockets
Here’s some of our Bethnal Green residents sharing their advice on how everyone can help with fire safety in their community.
Please report items left out in communal areas to our customer service team.
Home Contents Insurance covers the cost of replacing or repairing your possessions if they are damaged, destroyed or stolen. It includes items such as your furniture, clothing, or computer electronics. In the event of a fire, contents insurance would cover the cost of replacing or repairing these items. Find out more by clicking below.
If you or anyone in your household might need assistance in the event of a fire, we kindly ask you to fill out our contact form. A team member will reach out to you to have a friendly chat about the support you might require and to create a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) to keep you safe in case of a fire.
Our fire door inspection programme will now be carried out by our partner, Ventro. These annual checks are crucial for your safety and for meeting fire safety regulations.
Ventro will contact residents to schedule an inspection appointment, which will involve inspecting your front door.
Please note, that all inspections are arranged through Ventro, so we will be unable to reschedule appointments for residents. Ventro's contact details can be found in letters regarding inspection appointments.
The communal areas in your building, like hallways and stairwells, serve as evacuation routes in the event of a fire. Clutter and obstructions in these areas, like personal items or rubbish, can hinder a resident’s ability to exit the building quickly and safely. Additionally, the London Fire Brigade need clear access into buildings to fight the fire. Clear pathways make it easier for them to navigate the building, locate the source of the fire, and help those in need.
These areas should also be kept clear as certain items can serve as fuel for a fire. Items can help fires to spread quicker and intensify. By keeping these areas clear, the potential for the fire to spread is minimized.
Please report items left out in communal areas to our customer service team.
Did you know that the front door to your home and any doors along corridors and stairs are fire doors? Fire doors fulfil a life-saving role in preventing the spread of smoke and fire for a period dependent on their fire classification. Fire Doors help keep the levels of smoke and toxic gasses contained within the room of origin and prevent fire from moving into escape routes long enough to allow people to escape and for the fire and rescue services to gain access.
Fire doors will prevent fire moving into escape routes, and from one room to another. Most fire doors, when installed and used properly, will hold back a fire for 30 minutes or more, by which time the Fire & Rescue service would aim to be on site. For this to work, fire doors must be kept closed.
A fire door, in the event of a fire, will only work if the door is closed. Fire doors are often wedged open, perhaps to help with a busy flow of people, or to keep air flowing in hot weather. But whatever the reason, fire doors should not be left open. Wedging open fire doors can, and has, caused fire to spread rapidly, destroying entire buildings and decreasing the time people have to evacuate safely.
In the event of a fire, if it was found that a fire door was wedged open, it could have serious legal implications including fines, and reduce the likelihood of a successful insurance claim to cover the loss of possessions or damages to property.
If it is necessary to prop or wedge open a fire door for the purpose of moving equipment for a short duration; the prop or wedge must immediately be removed on completion of the task in hand; an open fire door must never be left unattended. Next time you see a fire door wedged open; stop, think, and act. Close the door.
Balconies are a great place to relax, but it’s really important to think about the safety of yourself and others – even though it's an outside space, there can still be a fire risk.
To keep you and your neighbours safe, we’ve put together some important guidelines on using your balcony safely.
A recent research report shows that most fires on balconies are caused by behaviours that are avoidable, in particular, carelessness around smoking.
The numbers
To read the report:
Balcony Fires of Great Britain Report 2021-2022
Your safety is our priority. If you have any concerns about your balcony and fire safety, get in touch with us.
Did you know that the gas from professional pest control products can be poisonous and lead to explosions and fires when not used properly?
These products have caused two fatal and life-changing incidents in Tower Hamlets. One of these incidents resulted in the death of an 11-year-old girl. The incidents are believed to be caused by unexperienced individuals using professional pest control products.
Tower Hamlets has launched the campaign, Kill Pests Not People . It aims to keep everyone safer by
Lutfur Rahman, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said:
“Pest control products sold in the UK go through rigorous testing to make sure they’re safe for amateur use. When people use pest control chemicals that are only meant for professional use or have been shipped in from outside of the UK, they can harm more than just pests”.
You can get in touch with us to report pests - we can provide treatment to remove infestations such as mice, rats, or bed bugs. As well as preventative treatments such as sewer baiting. While your service charges almost only cover communal areas, pest control in rented homes (non-leaseholder) is included in this charge as it’s likely to spread to your neighbours if not treated quickly.
The council also has an affordable pest control service that has experienced trained officers and effective treatments and can give advice on how you can stop pests from coming back.
Tower Hamlets Council Pest Control Service
Pest control products: important buying advice
The popularity of electric heaters has increased as energy bills have soared. Electrical Safety First is urging people that use heaters to ensure:
Your home will have its own fire alarm and we recommend you that you test it weekly. It only takes a few seconds and could save your life.
Most of our buildings follow a 'stay put policy' (you can find your fire notice in your communal entrance hall), this means that you are advised to stay in your home, if it's not affected by the fire. It may also mean that there are no fire alarms in some of your communal areas. This may be because of:
Every building has had a Fire Risk Assessment, which you can find below. We frequently maintain and test your fire systems including smoke alarms, smoke vents, doors and walls to ensure they are working should the worst happen.
Find your Fire Risk Assessment
2023 has seen the most e-bike and e-scooter fires in London than ever before. The blazes are often caused by the failure of a lithium battery, which can start fires within minutes. Many of the devices that catch light are being charged at the time. The London Fire Brigade has shared the following guidance. It’s important to adhere to this for the safety of you and your neighbours.
Never leave or charge E-bikes/scooters in communal areas. They might block escape routes and if charging they are a fire risk. If you spot this in your building, please report it to our customer service team.