Fire Safety
If a fire starts in your home, leave immediately and call 999 as soon as it is safe to do so. This page explains what to do in an emergency, how we help keep your homes safe and what your responsibilities are.
How we help keep you safe at home
We’re committed to help keep you and your home safe from fire; we assess the risk from fire in all blocks of flats and other buildings with internal communal spaces at least every year. We also do this for blocks containing flats that have no shared internal areas (called walk-up flats) at least every two years.
We maintain all fire safety systems in all our homes. These include fire alarms, smoke/heat detection, and sprinklers. There are emergency escape routes in shared buildings to help make sure you can exit your home safely in the event of a fire.
We will help you to understand what to do in case of a fire in your home.
We will also help to fix any issues which might cause an unacceptable fire risk.
What do you need to do to stay safe?
Help keep you and your neighbours safe by:
- not causing damage to the walls, fire doors, floors and ceilings, or anything else designed to help stop the spread of fire
- not removing any door closers or propping open fire doors
- asking for permission if you want to carry out any work on your home by filling in our change request form
- not using a BBQ or storing gas cylinders on a balcony and keeping the area clear of clutter and materials that can catch fire
- following the advice on the safe use and charge of e-scooters and e-bikes
More information on how to stay safe in your home is provided by each of the Fire and Rescue Services in Wales:
It is important that you test your smoke alarms once a week. Take a look at our Smoke & Heat Detectors user guide. View our full playlist of home user guides.
Evacuating your property
If there is a fire affecting your home, it is important you are clear on how to stay safe. In the event of a fire please follow your designated fire evacuation strategy.
I live in a house
It is important that you have your own simple escape plan:
1. Get out
2. Stay out
3. Call 999 as soon as it is safe to do so
The best route is the normal way you come in and out of your home.
Plan a second route in case the first one is blocked – consider windows.
Keep door and window keys where you can find them.
If you – or anyone you live with – might find it difficult to escape quickly without assistance in an emergency, make extra plans to get them to safety – we can help you to plan this.
Make sure everyone in your home understands what to do in a fire.
I live in a building shared with other residents like an apartment or flat:
My fire evacuation plan is to fully evacuate
My fire evacuation plan is to fully evacuate
Your fire evacuation plan means that you should go to the assembly point if the alarm system sounds.
If a fire starts in your home, leave the room where the fire is straight away and shut the door.
Get everyone to leave your home.
Close the front door of your flat behind you.
Raise the alarm by using a ‘break glass’ call point if one is provided.
When you are safe, call 999 and wait outside for fire and rescue service to arrive.
My fire evacuation plan is ‘safe to stay’ (but be prepared to leave)
My fire evacuation plan is ‘safe to stay’ (but be prepared to leave)
Your building has been designed to contain a fire in the flat where it starts.
This means it will usually be safe for you to stay in your own flat if the fire is elsewhere.
Leave immediately if told to by the Fire Service, or if you are being affected by smoke or fire.
If a fire starts in your home, leave the room where the fire is straight away and shut the door.
Get everyone to leave the flat. Close the front door of your flat behind you.
When you are out of the building and safe, call 999 and wait outside for fire and rescue service to arrive.
My fire evacuation plan is ‘safe to stay’ in my flat but evacuate from common areas
My fire evacuation plan is ‘safe to stay’ in my flat but evacuate from common areas
Your building has been designed to contain a fire in the flat where it starts.
This means it will usually be safe for you to stay in your own flat if the fire is elsewhere. However, if the Fire Brigade tell you to leave or you feel threatened by fire, you must leave the building.
If a fire starts in your home, leave the room where the fire is straight away and shut the door.
Get everyone to leave the flat. Close the front door of your flat behind you.
When you are out of the building and safe, call 999 and wait outside for fire and rescue services to arrive.
If you see or hear of a fire elsewhere in the building, call the Fire Service on 999 and follow their instructions. Leave immediately if told to by the Fire Service, or if you become affected by smoke or fire.
Contact us if:
- you have any questions or concerns about fire safety in your home or scheme
- you have a particular vulnerability that either puts you at greater risk from fire, or prevents you from evacuating safely
For all other queries regarding fire safety in your home, you can speak to us on 0800 052 2526 or visit our online contact page.