Fire safety for housing plus flats

What you can do to keep safe

Report any faults in your housing plus flat, as well as faults or damage in communal areas.

To report a fault call 0300 123 6633 or reports can be made through the South Tyneside Homes website.

You must tell South Tyneside Homes if you are planning to have satellite TV installed.
Our flats are built to slow the spread of fire from one flat to another (compartmentation).
We need to make sure that the installation of satellite TV doesn't effect the fire safety in your flat.

Do not keep furniture, motorbikes or bicycles, toys or any other large item in these areas. These could cause an obstruction or trip somebody up.

Prior to purchasing a mobility scooter you must contact your Housing Plus Officer.
If you have a mobility scooter, keep it in an allocated area.
Do not keep or charge it in communal corridors, or in your flat. This is because they can cause an obstruction and block escape routes.
Mobility scooters are also powered by batteries that are highly combustible.
In all our buildings, scooter chargers are required to be PAT tested.
They must be charged in the allocated area.

If you have a wheelchair, keep it in your flat or an allocated area.
Do not keep it in communal corridors. They can cause an obstruction and block escape routes.

You can smoke in your flat, or on any balcony that is only used by you or your family.

You cannot smoke in any shared part of the building.

This includes:

It is against the law to smoke in these areas.

Do not leave rubbish or unwanted furniture in corridors. This is a fire hazard and could cause an obstruction or injury to someone else.
Do not throw anything, including waste, from any balcony or window.
Do not use the refuse chutes for anything other than general household waste. These chutes are designed for use with carrier bags or small bin liners, not large refuse sacks. Please do not try to force a large refuse bag full of waste into a chute as it will block the chute.
Do not remove the waste chute cover.
Do not leave the door to the waste chute room open (as these are designed to help prevent the spread of fire).

Please try and keep the building secure.
Always close the entrance door behind you, and never prop it open.
Anybody who has official business in the building will have their own key or will carry identification with them.
Always ask to see identification if somebody asks you to let them into the building.

Please park considerately outside the flat, in marked parking areas if possible.
Do not park in any hatched area, or directly outside any access or fire exit door.
Make sure that you leave enough space for ambulances and fire engines to get to flats and turn around.

It is extremely important that you have a working smoke alarm in your home.

Do not tamper with the smoke detectors in your home.

They are there to give you an early warning in the event of a fire and could save your life.

For further advice on fire safety visit Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.