Fire safety

Our legal responsibilities

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO), CityWest Homes is the “Responsible Person” for fire safety in the communal areas of our residential blocks.

What does this mean?

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that people who occupy (residents and leaseholders) and those who visit (our staff, your families and contractors) are not put at risk from fire and that our buildings are safe places for you to live and work in.

How do we ensure your safety?

We comply with our legal duties in a number of ways:

We undertake Fire Risk Assessments (FRA’s) to identify the probability and likelihood of a fire starting and if one was to start the severity of harm to the occupants of the building.

We install, test and maintain smoke and heat detection inside all managed residential units.

We provide fire precautions to reduce the risk (i.e. smoke detection and fire doors) to ensure if a fire was to occur occupants are warned and are able to escape, or are protected from the fire if they remain in their flat.

We communicate regularly with our residents regarding fire safety matters, such as fire safety in the home and block specific fire evacuation strategies.

We regularly inspect and monitor the condition of our blocks to ensure escape routes are unobstructed and fire precautions are operating correctly

We work closely with London Fire Brigade and endorse their free Home Safety Visit Service to all new and existing residents, irrespective of tenure.

How can you help us manage fire safety?

New residents and leaseholders:

As a new resident or leaseholder we ask that you read the information provided to you when you sign your tenancy agreement regarding the specific fire safety procedures for the flat or maisonette you are moving into.

If you need clarification on any points, you can discuss them with your estate office before taking occupation.

Keep this information in a safe place and refer to it from time to time.

Download a copy of the fire safety leaflet for leaseholders

Download a copy of the fire safety leaflet for residents

View London Fire Brigade Contoversy Got Mine! Got Yours video;

Existing residents and leaseholders:

If you have misplaced the information regarding the fire safety procedures for your home, you can request a new copy from your estate office.

Please make sure you read this information and keep it in a safe place and refer to it from time to time.

We will inform all residents and leaseholders in writing if we change any fire procedures for your property

General fire safety advice for both residents and leaseholders can be downloaded from the links opposite on this page.

All residents:

Ensure you comply with CityWest Homes policy regarding the storage of items within communal areas of blocks. Download a copy of the communal fire loading policy below.

Ensure you maintain your secondary means of escape route (if provided in your flat) clear of storage so it can be used by you to escape in an emergency

Ensure you don’t obstruct your neighbours escape route if it passes through your balcony.

Ensure you test and maintain your in flat smoke detection unit

Comply with current UK legislation regarding no smoking within workplaces – the communal areas of blocks are our staffs workplace, as such residents cannot smoke within communal areas

Do not vandalise or obstruct fire precautions provided for yours and your neighbours safety

Report vandalism or maintenance issues (i.e. fire doors not broken or not closing) to your estate office for action.

Report malfunctioning smoke detection within your flat (detector beeping).

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