Fire safety

You can reduce the risk of fire in your home by taking the following simple steps:

• Test your smoke alarm every week.
• Make a fire evacuation plan so that everyone in your home knows how to escape.
• Be careful with candles. Keep them away from curtains, carpets, furniture, bedding and other flammable items.
• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
• Don’t leave cigarettes, pipes or candles unattended.
• Switch off the TV and other non-essential electrical equipment at the socket when not in use.
• Switch off heaters and cookers when you’re not using them.
• Don’t use or store devices that run on a gas cylinder.
• Check your cooker is turned off before you go to bed.
• Keep communal areas, fire exits and fire escapes clear of any obstructions at all times.
• Don’t prop fire doors open.

Download the SNG (formerly Network Homes) Fire Safety leaflet

You should have at least one working alarm installed in your home.

A smoke alarm will alert you if there is a fire, improving your chances of escaping a fire unharmed.

If you don’t have a smoke alarm, please contact Network Homes using their online contact us form or phone them on 0300 373 3000.

Go to the SNG ‘Contact us’ form

If there's a fire in your home:

• Alert everyone in your home.
• Phone 999 and ask for the Fire Brigade. Tell them your address and where in the building the fire is.
• If possible, close the door to any room where fire is burning.
• Close your front door as you leave.
• Use the stairs. Never use the lift.

If your flat or maisonette is being affected by fire or smoke and your escape route is clear:

• Get everyone out, close the door and walk calmly out of the building. Do not use the lift.
• Call 999, give your address, the number of your flat and state which floor the fire is on.

If there is a fire or smoke inside your flat or maisonette and your escape route is not clear:

• It may be safer to stay in your flat or maisonette until the fire brigade arrives.
• Find a safe room close the door and use soft materials to block any gaps to stop the smoke.
• Go to a window, shout “HELP, FIRE” and call 999.
• Be ready to describe where you are and the quickest way to reach you.

If there is a fire in another part of the building:

• Purpose-built maisonettes or blocks of flats are built to give you some protection from fire. Walls, floors and doors can hold back flames and smoke for 30 to 60 minutes.
• You are usually safer staying put and calling 999. Tell the fire brigade where you are and the best way to reach you.
• If you are within the common parts of the building, leave and call 999.

Those residents living in flats are subject to additional safety measures and are part of Network Homes' fire risk assessments and estate inspections. They inspect all the fire doors in their properties to ensure they are safe and compliant.

Residents can help to ensure their buildings are safe by telling SNG if they notice any faults with fire doors. You can report faults to Network Homes on 0300 373 3000 or emailing customerservice@networkhomes.org.uk.

Go to the SNG‘Contact us’ form 

Fire doors are a critical element in fire safety and a requirement in every commercial, public and multiple occupancy building, and in some domestic situations too. In everyday use, the simple purpose of a fire door is just as any other door. However, fire doors are so important in case of fire as they can delay the spread of fire and smoke; protecting your life and home.

Those residents living in flats are subject to additional safety measures and as part of SNG's fire risk assessments and estate inspections. They inspect all the fire doors in our properties to ensure they are safe and compliant.

SNG has an extensive door replacement programme currently underway. They are prioritising those which have been identified as needing repair through the fire risk assessments. If your door has been identified as needing to be changed, SNG will contact you.

All doors fitted by SNG are fully certified fire doors, with primary test evidence. Each door is fitted by a third-party accredited contractor to ensure it is installed properly. By taking this approach, they can be confident that the right door is being installed, and its being installed properly.

You should ensure your flat entry door:

• Must close and fit into the frame with gaps no larger than 5mm around the frame.
• There must be an operating door closer to ensure the door can close on its own accord once released.
• More advice is available from the London Fire Brigade website.
• If you want more advice please contact the Network Homes fire safety team on 0300 373 3000

Are you having a BBQ? Always take care when having a BBQ to have a fun safe experience. Here are some tips on how to ensure your BBQ is safe:

• Never use a BBQ on your balcony, even those which are advertised to be used on balconies, as they create a fire safety risk.
• Ensure the BBQ is on flat ground and is not near any sheds, trees or shrubs.
• Always watch the BBQ and never leave children unattended when it is lit or hot.
• It’s always best to keep a bucket of water or sand close by in case of emergencies.
• Allow the BBQ to cool down fully before storing it away.

For more advice and ways to stay safe in your home, please go to the London Fire Brigade’s website.