Fire safety in the home

We will carry out regular fire safety checks. You should familiarise yourself with the 'Fire Evacuation' or 'Stay Put' action plan for your property. 

It is important that fire doors are in good condition, can be clearly accessed and not left open so they are able to prevent fire spreading. Let us know if fire doors are damaged by reporting a repair.

We also reserve the right to remove any item stored in communal stairwells as these create hazards in the event of a fire. You will be notified and given 14 days to remove the item before we remove them ourselves.

Items removed will be held for 30 days before we dispose of them.

If you would like to collect removed items, please call 01483 523054

Fire doors play a vital role in blocks of flats with communal corridors, delaying the spread of fire and smoke, protecting lives and property.

What fire doors do

When a fire happens, it acts as part of the building's fire protection measures to prevent fire and smoke from travelling around the building, buying occupants time, creating a safe refuge, and providing a protected route for the emergency services to enter the building.

How fire doors work

There are key parts in a fire door, all working together to provide a fire barrier.

The door itself is constructed with a core that will resist the spread of fire for a set period of time.

Around the door and frame there are also seals, one seal is designed to limit the spread of smoke through the gap between the door and frame, whilst the other seal is designed to expand when exposed to heat, sealing the door in place and preventing the fire from spreading beyond the door.

Your responsibilities as set out in your tenancy agreement

All tenants and leaseholders have a legal responsibility to take reasonable fire precautions. This is set out under the terms of your tenancy agreement or lease:

• Do not leave a fire door wedged or propped open
• Keep access to fire doors clear and unobstructed 
• The entrance to your flat should be able to self-close from any angle - if your door doesn’t close, report it to us immediately
• Never disconnect an automatic closer – the door is ineffective if it remains open, and it would allow the spread of smoke and fire
• Damage to fire doors can reduce their effectiveness, as such we ask that occupants do not cause needless damage to doors, particularly through screwing or nailing objects to the door or drilling holes through the door or frame. If you’d like to cat flaps, letter boxes etc. please contact us for advice
• Fixing into the face of the door with long screws or nails will compromise the door's integrity and its ability to resist fire. Other than house numbers, please avoid attaching anything onto your front door. 

Reporting an issue

Tell us if you think your fire door needs to be repaired, for example if the closer isn’t operating correctly.

Email: housingcustomerservices@waverley.gov.uk or Tel: 01483 523054