‘Keep communal areas in your block clear and free from obstructions,’ says our Fire Safety team
21/07/2022
Keeping you safe in your home is our priority and we’re reminding customers who live in our blocks of flats about the importance of keeping communal areas clear and free from obstructions.
It comes as we launch our new communal areas fire safety policy to help protect you and neighbours in your block.
We want you to enjoy the communal spaces in your block of flats, however it’s essential we work together to help prevent risk of fire and ensure your block stays safe in the event of a fire.
It is very important that communal areas like entrance lobbies, balconies and landings outside your flat and also stairwells are kept clear and free from obstructions.
- Items left there can be fire hazards
- Lobbies, balconies are stairwells are your escape routes in a fire
- The fire service needs easy access to them in an emergency
New communal areas fire safety policy
In line with our new communal areas fire safety policy, we ask that you:
Do
- Keep communal areas clear and free of any items, apart from door mats and for temporary drying of washing
- Store possessions in your flat, or locked storage cupboard if you have one, when they are not being used.
- Make sure stores and cupboards are locked at all times
Don’t
- Store or leave possessions, such as chairs, tables, mobility scooters, bikes, large planters, pots, benches etc, in communal areas
- Assume that unwanted items can be left outside your flat entrance. Please note they will not be removed by our Caretaking team. It is your responsibility to ensure unwanted items are disposed of properly. Ask friends or relatives to help you with this if necessary
- Leave any washing to dry outside longer than necessary. We suggest you use clothes maidens/air dryers that can easily be moved, rather than washing lines which could obstruct the fire service in an emergency
- Pile items up outside bin chutes – dispose of them appropriately
You will see new signs displayed around your block reminding you to keep communal areas clear.
Our team will also be carrying out regular fire safety inspections at your block. If we find items left in communal areas when not in use, we will work to identify who the items belong to and the owner will be served with a legal document called a Tort Notice.
The Tort notice is a legal document that instructs the owner to remove the items within a specific timeframe.
If items aren’t cleared within this time, the Tort gives us the right to remove the items and you may be recharged for their disposal.
If we can’t identify the owner of the items we will serve a Tort notice on the item/s. This gives the owner a certain amount of time to remove the items. If items aren’t cleared within the timeframe, the Tort gives us the right to remove the items. If the owner is identified, they may be recharged for their disposal.
By following all the advice above, we hope this won’t be necessary.
Thank you for working with us to help keep our communities safe.
What to do about fire safety concerns at your block
If you have any questions or concerns about fire safety at your block, our Fire Safety team is here to help you. Call 0161 393 7117 or email FireSafetyTeam@fcho.co.uk.
