Safety | My Living Guide

Fire Safety

Listed below are a few points that will help reduce the risk of a fire starting and spreading in your home.

Do

Test your smoke and heat detectors regularly and replace batteries when needed
Keep all fire doors closed to maintain compartmentation
Report any damage or alteration to fire doors, smoke seals or self-closing devices
Follow the Fire Action Plan within the apartment unless told otherwise by the Fire and Rescue Service
Keep escape routes and communal corridors clear at all times
Familiarise yourself with the location of the nearest exits and fire-fighting equipment
Be careful when you are cooking with hot oil
Make sure cigarettes and candles are put out properly
Report an unusual burning smell

Don’t

Overload power sockets
Tamper with or disable any smoke, heat or carbon monoxide detector
Paint over or obstruct any sprinkler head cap
Wedge open or alter any fire door
Store personal items, bicycles, prams or refuse in communal corridors or escape routes
Use BBQs, fire pits or open flames on balconies
Use foreign batteries, chargers or devices that have not been tested within the UK regulations
Attempt to fight a fire beyond your immediate safety - close the door and call 999

Give some thought as to how you would leave your home if there was a fire. Make sure that you have planned your escape route and that everyone is aware of it.

If you discover a fire in your home, both you and anyone else should leave immediately, and wherever possible close any windows and doors behind you. When you call the fire brigade, make sure you give them your full address and any helpful instructions if your home is difficult to find or access. Please refer to the Fire Action Plan which you will have in the apartment for comprehensive guidance.

If you notice any damage to fire doors, smoke seals or other fire-safety equipment within your apartment or the communal areas, please report this to the Managing Agent without delay.

Website: www.gov.uk/firekills

Fire Evacuation Strategy

The building is designed on the basis of a stay put evacuation strategy. Only the residents of the apartment with the fire are expected to make an escape. Neighbouring apartments are fine to stay put unless they feel more comfortable to leave or receive an evacuation alert.

Evacuation alert in the apartment

Inside each apartment there is an evacuation alarm fitted, generally located on the ceiling or wall by the front door. If the alarm goes off then everyone in the apartment would need to evacuate the building.

The alarm will go off if the fire brigade feels that it is necessary for the apartment(s) to do so. They have the ability to activate the alarm for selected apartments.

The evacuation alarm system will be tested annually, and will be arranged by the Managing Agent.

General Evacuation for Disabled Occupants

Any resident of the building who is disabled and/or would have difficulty using the stairs in the event of a fire must notify the Concierge/Managing Agent. This enables the Management team to act accordingly if the resident is affected by a fire. When a resident notifies the Concierge/Managing Agent, it would ensure that they are escorted by a staff member in the event of a fire.

There is a Refuge Call Point installed on each level above ground level.

Provisions are required for disabled occupants to reach a place of refuge before being fully evacuated by staff. This would typically be by the stairs on the level where the apartment is located.

A firefighting lift has been provided with a secondary power supply. The adjacent passenger lift is not a fully designed evacuation lift, but is provided with the back-up power supply which would allow it to be converted to an evacuation lift. The lift is operated by a trained member of the Management team to escort the disabled resident out of the building.

Heat and Smoke Detectors

Your apartment is fitted with smoke and heat detectors that are part of your demised property. It is the leaseholder’s responsibility to ensure these devices are regularly tested, serviced, and maintained in good working order.

Heat detectors will notify you of a fire in an area where smoke detectors are not installed, for example the kitchen. The device responds to sudden change or rise in ambient temperature by sounding an alarm.

If a detector activates, you should follow your building’s Fire Action Plan, which operates on a Stay Put principle unless instructed otherwise by the Fire and Rescue Service or the Managing Agent. This means that if a fire occurs elsewhere in the building, you can remain inside your apartment with the doors and windows closed, unless smoke or heat affects your property, or you are told to evacuate.

Never disable or remove batteries from any smoke or heat detector and replace batteries or the complete unit in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance. Please note that smoke detectors have a service life of around 7 years.

As well as sounding an alarm if there is a fire, your detector will also beep to indicate a fault. You should regularly check each of your detectors.

Never disconnect any smoke or heat detector. It could save your life.

Sprinklers

Your apartment is also fitted with a sprinkler system that forms part of the building’s fire-safety infrastructure. The Managing Agent will arrange for the annual inspection and servicing of the sprinkler system as part of the building’s maintenance regime. Do not paint over or tamper with sprinkler head caps, as this can prevent the system from operating correctly in an emergency.

The communal fire alarm, sprinkler and smoke ventilation systems are maintained by the Managing Agent as part of the building’s fire-safety regime. Any faults or alarms relating to these systems should be reported immediately to the Managing Agent.

Front Door Fire Safety Inspections

The Building Safety Act is recent legislation introduced by Government to ensure high-rise residential buildings are designed, built and managed to the highest standards of safety. This includes clear obligations for residents, the Managing Agent, and the building owner.

As a resident, you have important responsibilities:

Keeping communal areas clear of any items or obstructions
Allowing access for statutory inspections and maintenance, including annual fire door inspections
Maintaining your apartment entrance door so that it remains in good working order and compliant with fire safety standards

Your apartment entrance door is a critical part of the building’s fire strategy. It is designed to resist fire and smoke, but like any piece of equipment, it requires routine maintenance. Hinges, closers, seals and ironmongery can wear over time and need adjustment or replacement. Small gaps around the door are also necessary for it to operate correctly, but if gaps become too wide, the fire and smoke resistance may be compromised.

Please note that timber doors are natural products and may expand or contract with seasonal changes in temperature and humidity. This can affect the way the door fits in its frame and may require adjustment to keep it performing correctly.

The Managing Agent will arrange for annual fire door inspections in line with the Building Safety Act. These inspections will confirm that your door is in good repair and working order. Please note:

Not all issues identified are construction defects. Many items are simply the result of day-to-day wear and tear and fall under routine maintenance
The two-year warranty does not cover maintenance issues
If a genuine defect is identified, please report it to St James/St William Customer Services

By working together, we can ensure that your home, and the building as a whole, remains safe for you and your neighbours.

E-Bike/E-Scooters

Residents at Regent’s View must note that electric bikes, e-scooters and other lithium-battery-powered vehicles are not permitted to be stored or charged in the common areas or communal corridors of the building. This includes bike stores, drying rooms, corridor landings, fire-escape routes and any communal lobby or plant rooms.

Lithium batteries pose a significant fire risk if charged unattended, placed too close to escape routes or left in communal circulation spaces, as confirmed by the London Fire Brigade guidance.

Key resident obligations:

Only store or charge your e-bike/e-scooter inside your demised apartment or in a specifically designated and managed location approved by the Managing Agent
Ensure the battery is on a hard, flat, non-combustible surface, unplugged when fully charged, and monitored, consistent with LFB Charge Safe advice: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/lithium-batteries/charging-electric-bike-and-electric-scooter-lithium-batteries/
Do not leave batteries unattended while charging, do not charge them overnight while asleep, and do not block escape routes
Report any signs of battery damage, overheating, swelling, odd smells or discoloration immediately to the Managing Agent so they can arrange safe disposal or professional intervention
Do not attempt to modify or tamper with your battery. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
Only use replacement batteries that are supplied or approved by the manufacturer
Only use replacement charging equipment that is supplied or approved by the manufacturer
Converting pedal bikes into e-bikes using DIY kits bought online can be very dangerous and poses a higher risk of fire

Failure to comply with these rules may result in the Managing Agent or Freeholder taking action under the Lease, including removal of the item from communal areas. Any associated fire-safety risk or damage may be recharged to the responsible leaseholder.

DIY Safety

If you decide to carry out DIY projects in your new home, please consider our recommendations below:

Think about any safety precautions you should take or protective equipment you should wear
Make sure you have the right tools and they are in good condition
Check that there are no cables or pipes behind any walls, floors or ceilings that you could drill into
Try and make sure someone else is at home with you, in case you have an accident
Use appropriate detectors to locate cables, pipes, studwork or anything else that may be concealed behind the wall

Making Your Home Secure

Below are some further suggestions of ways that you can keep your home safe and secure when you are away:

Always make sure windows and balcony doors are securely shut
If you are going on holiday, cancel any newspapers or other regular deliveries so there isn’t an overflow of post that makes it noticeable that no one has been home
Leaving your lights or a radio on a time switch can help to make your home seem occupied
Don’t leave keys, valuables or portable items where they can be seen from outside, including in your postbox
Take photos of valuable items and write your postcode and house number on them so that they could be traced if stolen. Also, you could make a note of serial numbers
Ensure your home’s contents are fully insured against fire and theft

Door and Window Safety

It is important that you do not leave any of the windows or external doors open in windy conditions or when your property is unoccupied.

Never tamper with or disengage any part of the windows or external doors, as the parts are safety critical.

Any damage to your windows or external doors should be reported promptly to the Managing Agent.

While We Finish Building

It is possible that we might still be building other homes at Regent’s View when you move into yours. Reading the following advice will help to make sure that you and other people living in your home stay safe:

Be extra careful of construction vehicles in use when walking or driving, and make sure the person operating it has seen you before you pass either in front of or behind it
Make sure you follow any road signs, as we might have to temporarily change the routes that vehicles and pedestrians take around the area
Never go into the areas where we are constructing without a member of our team. All visitors need to sign in at the site office first and wear the correct safety equipment
Everyone entering the construction area must comply with all regulations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

As part of the requirements for the Consumer Code for Home Builders, and to comply with Health and Safety regulations, the Health and Safety file relating to construction work at Regent’s View can be made available at our offices.

If any issues arise either with your home or the shared areas, please contact us or the Managing Agent respectively using the details in the Customer Care section. We will log your enquiry and be in touch to discuss the appropriate action. Please do not ask construction staff for help with these matters.

Living in a High Rise Building

Balconies

Balconies are suitable for items such as furniture and well maintained pot plants. They are not suitable for storage
Ensure that furniture is secured on your balcony where possible and stored indoors when not in use. Loose cushions and accessories should not be left outside when not in use. Items and furniture that are blown or dropped from the balcony could cause serious injury at the lower levels. A tethering point is provided on your balcony decking to allow for securing furniture and/or loose items
In periods of high winds, please ensure that all items are removed from the balcony
Please consider the location of furniture on your balcony. If situated next to the railing, there is a strong risk of people (especially children) or pets climbing on the furniture and falling from height
The balconies are designed to support a limited load per square metre. Please check with our Customer Service department if you have anything of significant weight to be installed
Please refrain from leaning over the railing of your balcony
Avoid installing or attaching any items on the outer edge of the railings

Windows

Each window has a restrictor which is in place to ensure safe ventilation from windows without having them fully open
The windows can also be fully opened if you turn the handle 180 degrees. This is only to allow you to clean the external side
Please do not remove the restrictors as this will result in the window being insecure in its fixing which, when exposed to high winds, could swing and result in breakages and cause harm to any persons within the apartment