Fire Safety

If you have any questions about this information or concerns about fire safety, we are here to help. You can:

• Contact Housing on 01962 848 400 or email: housing@winchester.gov.uk.
• Discuss your concern with a TACT (Tenants and Council Together – the City Council’s formal consultation group) representative. Call the Tenant Involvement Team for TACT’s contact details on Freephone 0800 716 987.

If you would like to be involved in how we improve and promote fire safety in your block, contact Tenant Involvement: email TInvolvement@winchester.gov.uk or phone the Freephone number 0800 716 987.

• Follow fire safety guidance to keep you and your neighbours safe
• If you live in a flat, make sure you know the evacuation plan for your building – letters were sent to all residents of flats with the plan in Oct 2020
• Familiarise yourself with evacuation routes and safe places to assemble and check that others in your property understand this too
• Always keep communal areas clear of any rubbish and personal belongings. Corridors and landings are important escape routes so should be kept clear in case of emergency
• Test smoke detectors yourself every week.
  • WCC tenants - If your smoke detector does not work contact the Housing team immediately on 01962 848 400 or email: housing@winchester.gov.uk.
  • WCC tenants living in sheltered flats do not need to test smoke alarms as these are connected to community alarm centre
• WCC tenants & residents of leasehold flats - Ask for permission to carry out works to your home so that you don’t put yourself and others at risk – even  if it’s changing a letterbox or fitting a cat flap
• Let us know if you have oxygen cylinders in your property.

• Checking your block regularly to ensure fire safety measures are adequate.
• Completing regular health & safety inspections
• Managing and maintaining the fire protection measures for your block.
• If you would like to know when the check for your block of flats is next due, click on link to take you to the Fire Safety management page   On this page you can also see the reports for Winchester City Council’s ‘Category A’ blocks of flats.

If this information is needed in a different format i.e. large print, translation or easy read, please contact the Housing team. If you are a Winchester City Council tenant and have mobility issues that make it difficult to reach and test your smoke alarm, contact us and we’ll arrange support.

The Hampshire Fire and Rescue Stay Safe At Home Fire Safety in Other Languages website has links to fire safety advice in other languages including Bengali, Nepalese, Polish, Turkish, Hungarian, Portuguese.

If you have concerns that you won’t be able to leave the building safely in the event of a fire, contact the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service you may be entitled to a Safe and Well visit.

These are Home Fire Safety visits that are tailored to an individual’s needs focusing on the most vulnerable people in our community.

If you’d like to see of you qualify fill in the assessment form on the Hampshire Fire and Rescue website or speak to a housing officer who can refer you.

Go to Hampshire Fire and Rescue Stay Safe At Home Safe and Well website stay Safe / At Home / Safe and Well

If you are a WCC tenant and have mobility issues that make it difficult to reach and test your smoke alarm, contact us and we’ll arrange support.

Fire Kills website - Includes advice for anyone with sight, hearing or mobility issues.

Make sure you’ve thought about how you would escape in the event of a fire in your home. Have a plan and ensure everyone in your household knows it.

Go to the Hampshire Fire and Rescue webpage Keeping Safe / At Home / Be Prepared - Escape Plans for the things to consider when putting together your plan.

You will find these on the right hand side of the page.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue - You can find helpful advice here about fire risks including those linked to cooking, candles, smoking and electrical items such as electric blankets.

 Fire Kills – the Govt campaign that highlights the everyday accidents that can cause a fire in your home and provides fire safety advice. There are a series of short films on fire safety advice on the Fire Kills website.

Tenants Handbook - The Fire Safety section of the Tenant Handbook provides more information about managing risks.