Keeping your building safe
Our high-rise buildings are kept safe through a planned regime of maintenance, servicing, repairs, and replacement of assets and components within them.
Some of the key fire safety-related assets include sprinklers, fire doors, smoke detection systems, firefighting equipment, emergency lighting and smoke ventilation windows.
Other parts of the buildings that have routine checks and inspections are lifts, communal door entry systems, electrical systems and various plant, storage, and communal areas.
Please make sure you keep communal areas clear at all times as items left in corridors or stairwells can prevent escape in the event of a fire.
How our buildings are designed
If you live in a purpose-built block of flats, there will be a fire action notice in the communal areas with the recommended fire safety approach for your building.
Walls, floors, ceilings, and doors are passive fire measures. Together they form compartments that limit the spread of fire and smoke. They are designed to contain fire and smoke at their source for a long enough period to allow the fire service to extinguish the fire.
It is this design that means residents are safe to remain in their home so long as it is not affected by fire, smoke, or heat, or unless otherwise instructed by the fire service.
What to do if there's a fire in your flat
- Never tackle a fire yourself. Leave it to the fire and rescue service.
- Keep calm but act quickly. Get everyone out.
- Don’t waste time investigating what’s happened or rescuing valuables.
- If there’s smoke, keep low to the floor where the air is clearer.
- Before you open a door, check if it’s warm. If it is, DO NOT open it!
- Close doors on the way out.
- Alert any neighbours who might be at risk from the fire, without putting yourself in danger.
- Use the stairs and never use the lifts, even if you are high up.
- Call 999 as soon as you’re clear of the building.
Remember – Get out. Stay out. Call 999
What if you cannot get out?
- If your escape route is blocked by fire or smoke, stay inside the safest room with a window that opens and call the fire and rescue service by calling 999. This will also help firefighters know where you are, and you can get help over the phone.
- Keep the door closed and use towels or bedding at the bottom of the door to block the smoke, then open the window and shout “HELP. FIRE”. Wait to be rescued by a firefighter.
What to do if there's a fire in another part of the building
- Our blocks are built in a way which helps prevent fires spreading from one flat to another, or to communal areas. If there is a fire in another part of your block you should obseve the ‘stay put’ policy and remain in your flat, unless told otherwise by the fire service.
- Leaving the flat when you’re not affected by smoke or the fire can place you in greater danger and can hamper the fire and rescue service response.
- The fire and rescue service may trigger a full evacuation, in which case you’ll need to get out and stay out.
- If your flat is affected by heat or smoke, you should get outside and call 999.
- If your escape route is blocked or full of smoke or fire, return to your flat and call 999 so firefighters know where you are
Safety improvements
As part of our efforts to improve Abbey View and Munden View we have also installed numerous safety features to each tower block.
Working with the fire service
We worked closely with Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and consulted with them extensively when putting together our fire safety strategy. On their advice we have an active 'stay put' policy for all our high-rise blocks. All flats in these blocks are built in such a way as to prevent the spread of fire, and in the event of one in another part of the building, the safest option is for you to remain in your home until the fire service are able to attend.
We review this policy annually alongside the Fire and Rescue Service and will implement any changes based on their advice.
Testing your smoke alarm
- Test your smoke alarms at least once a month by pressing the button on them
- If your smoke alarms are not working please let us know as soon as possible
- If your smoke alarm goes off by mistake, do not tamper with the alarm. Please just wait for it to stop. Many alarms have a hush button that can be pressed to temporarily silence an alarm
- Smoke alarms usually need replacing every ten years
- If you hear a neighbour’s smoke alarm, please don’t ignore it. You should attempt to alert them in the first instance, but if they don’t respond, please call 999
Fire doors
Fire doors create a barrier which prevents fire and toxic smoke from travelling around your home or building during a fire.
They provide valuable time for people to evacuate. They also help make fires easier to tackle for the emergency services.
- Do not tamper with your fire doors in any way, such as drilling or cutting into your fire door, painting over the seals, or replacing the handles, hinges or any other parts of the door
- Ensure that your front door and internal doors are kept closed when not being used
- Do not remove or adjust the self-closing device on your front door
- Report any faults or damage to your fire doors to us immediately
Plan your escape route
- Please make sure you are aware of the escape routes from your flat
- It is easy to get confused in smoke, so it’s important to know how many doors you need to go through to reach the stairs
- Talk through your ‘escape plan’ with everyone who lives in your home
- Make sure everyone knows where to find door and window keys
Our top tips for fire safety
Keeping you safe in your home is our top priority, so here are some helpful suggestions on ways to minimise the risk of fire.
- If you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking, take pans off the heat or turn them down to
- avoid risk
- Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone
- Keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach
- Keep tea towels and clothes away from the cooker and hob
- Double check the cooker is off when you’ve finished cooking
Take care with electrical appliances
- Keep electrical leads and appliances away from water
- Check toasters are clean and placed away from curtains and kitchen rolls
- Don’t put anything metal in the microwave unless its designed to take them
Deep fat frying
- Make sure your food is dry before putting it in hot oil
- If the oil starts to smoke – it’s too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool
- Try to avoid using a chip pan. A thermostatcontrolled electric deep fat fryer or an air fryer make great alternatives, as they can’t overheat
What to do if a pan catches fire
- Don’t take any risks. NEVER move the pan. NEVER throw water over it
- Turn off the heat if it’s safe to do so
- Don’t tackle the fire yourself
- Close the door to the kitchen if possible
- Get out of the kitchen as quickly and safely as possible, and do not return until told it is safe to do so
- Call 999.
- Never use barbecues, including disposable ones, on your balcony as they pose a serious fire risk
- Fire pits, patio heaters and chimineas should also not be used on balconies
- Never store flammable or hazardous materials (i.e. gas cylinders) on balconies
- Keep balconies clutter free. They should not be used for storage. Balconies can be an important escape route for residents or access point for firefighters
- Do not set off fireworks from your balcony
- If you smoke on your balcony, please do not discard cigarettes or smoking materials onto or over the balcony
You should try to avoid leaving candles lit when you’re not in the room, and put them out completely at night.
Smoking is one of the biggest causes of accidental fires.
- Always use appliances in line with manufacturers’ instructions
- Overloading electrical sockets, extension or adaptors is dangerous and increases the risk of fire
- Certain appliances, such as washing machines or electric heaters that use a lot of electricity, should not be plugged into leads or adaptors
- Unplug appliances when you’re not using them, they are fully charged, or when you go to bed
- Always check that electrical items, such as white goods, are registered – at registermyappliance.org.uk – so that you can be informed if there is a safety issue. If you are given electrical items, you can check whether they are subject to a safety recall by visiting productrecall.campaign.gov.uk
- If you notice any signs of loose wiring, faulty or damaged plugs, sockets or fuses, please let us know immediately
- Don’t try to fix faulty electrics yourself. Let us know straight away so we can arrange for them to be repaired by a qualified electrician.
Portable heaters
- Try to keep close to walls where possible, to prevent accidental contact and reduce the risk of them being knocked over
- Avoid using heaters to dry clothes
- Avoid sitting too close to heaters to reduce the of burns
- Keep heaters away from curtains and furniture where possible.
Electric blankets
- If you use an electric blanket, you should unplug the blanket before you got to sleep, unless it
- has thermostatic controls for safe all-night use
- Electric blankets should be stored flat, rolled up or loosely folded
- Avoid buying second-hand electric blankets
- Check regularly for wear and tear, and always follow manufacturer’s instructions.
If you are a shared owner or leaseholder you will need to arrange for these tests to be carried out yourself and will need to provide us with copies of up to date safety certificates.
Keeping you up to date
We regularly engage with customers on building safety matters, using various different means. We will tailor our communication methods to customers’ needs and make sure they are accessible.
A variety of methods will be used to communicate important building safety messages when necessary and we will provide residents an annual fire safety advice leaflet, which will also be shared with any new tenants at the start of their tenancy.
How you can have your say
We will provide opportunities for you to have your say on decisions relating to building safety.
This may include:
- checking if you have a preferred time for appointments about safety checks or works
- asking how we can reduce disruption when carrying out safety works
- getting your opinion on improving fire or building safety - for example, upgrading fire doors
- involving you in the design of any major upgrade works in the building
It might not always be possible or appropriate to consult on changes to the way we manage or maintain the building, for example if there is a new legal requirement to carry out work. In this case we will always provide written notice in a timely manner.
We also understand that not all decisions about the building will affect all customers, therefore, we will only consult with you if you will be directly affected by the proposed works or changes.
Building safety complaints
You have the right to raise a complaint if you feel a report or work carried out has not been handled satisfactorily.
Any building safety complaints should be reported to us directly by calling us on 0800 218 2247, completing the feedback form here or by emailing us at feedback@wcht.org.uk.
We will then investigate as appropriate and aim to resolve the complaint within 10 days, in line with our complaints procedure.
Following a complaint, we will provide a written response including details of the investigation which has taken place, the outcomes and any follow-up actions.