Fire safety in your council home

Everyone you live with must know what to do if a fire breaks out, so you can all escape as quickly and safely as possible.

Make sure you know the fire safety procedures and evacuation plans for your property as the layout and safety plans might be different. 

The building your home is in will have a fire safety strategy on the walls to tell you what to do - it will either be ‘Stay Put’ or ‘Simultaneous Evacuation’.

You should:

• close all the doors to your flat behind you to help stop it spreading
• leave using the stairs - never try and use the lift or a balcony 
• if you have to move through smoke, keep as low to the ground as possible as the air is cleaner
• call 999 when you are out of the building

Don't stop to take personal belongings and don't go back into the building unless you've been told it's safe to.

You should:

• make sure passages, stairways and balconies are clear of things like rubbish bags, prams and bikes
• switch off electrical equipment when you're not using it and make sure plug sockets are not overloaded
• not remove any self-close fittings on your doors 
• close internal doors before you go to sleep or leave home - smoke is no joke
• keep all fire doors shut at all times - if you are disabled and your property needs a fire door, apply for a home adaptation
• check where a fire door might have damage (PDF, 302kb) and report any problems to us
• make sure any candles, cigarettes or other open flames are never left unattended and always put out
• keep matches out of the reach of children
• use a fireguard if you have an open fire
• never leave cooking pans unattended
• keep tea towels and other flammable items away from the hob
• clean cooker hoods regularly
• dry your clothes safely - do not use heaters
• store any petrol cans in a garage or somewhere else outside
• never block communal areas or fire escapes
• test the batteries in your smoke alarm every month - and never disconnect it

Find out more about fire safety in the home

You should follow these simple checks to test your smoke alarm every week:

• press the test button until the alarm sounds
• if it doesn’t sound, try cleaning it and test again
• if it still doesn’t sound you need to change the battery
• to change the battery; open the alarm cover and unclip it, clip the new battery into place the same way round, close and the cover and test it again - if it’s still not working you need to replace the alarm
• if your smoke alarm starts to beep regularly you need to change the battery straight away

If you have hearing problems you can get strobe light or vibrating-pad smoke alarms. To find out how to get one email Action on Hearing Loss, chat to them online or call 0808 808 0123.

In January 2023, the government issued new fire safety regulations. They include new steps we have to take to make sure we are keeping you and your home safe.

Find out about the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

We have a dedicated contractor who completes fire risk assessments on all properties that have a communal or shared space. 

We also employ contractors that carry out service and inspection programs for all fire safety equipment, including emergency lighting, fire alarm panels, smoke detectors, doors on escape routes and more.

We work with these contractors and consultants to make sure any fire risks are quickly managed, mitigated or fixed. 

We regularly inspect properties with shared areas to make sure all escape routes are clear and unobstructed. During these inspections, any potential fire risks or maintenance issues are reported to the right people.

We have secure boxes in all buildings that need them, with up to date fire plans and information for Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

As part of the new fire safety regulations, we’ll get in touch with you every year about how to report a fire, the evacuation strategy for your home and what to do if there’s been a fire.

All shared areas will have appropriate fire evacuation signs in place. All properties with more than two homes will have wayfinder signs to help if there’s a fire.

For buildings over 11m in height, quarterly checks will be carried out on the communal fire doors and entrance doors will be inspected every year. 

In 2024, any shared areas will get new fire rated doors to give the highest level of safety we can.