26/04/2022
How to keep communal areas clear and safe
Your safety is our priority, and we want to ensure you feel happy and comfortable in your community. We’ve recently introduced a new Keep Clear & Safe policy which is designed to keep everyone safe in our communal areas and ensure they can escape quickly in an emergency. Keep reading to find out more about keeping communal areas safe and what your responsibilities are as a tenant.
What are communal areas?
Communal areas are the spaces we all share, which include hallways, landings, lifts, stairways and some outside spaces. In an emergency, a communal stairwell or landing could be the only way out, so it’s important that we all help to keep these spaces clear and remove any potential trip hazards. It’s everyone’s responsibility to keep these spaces free of personal belongings to limit the spread of a fire and ensure escape routes are kept clear.
What are your responsibilities as a tenant?
Our Keep Clear & Safe policy helps to ensure tenants store all personal belongings inside their home to avoid escape routes being blocked. To help keep yourself and your neighbours safe you should follow the three golden rules:
- Make sure all belongings are kept inside your home. Whether it’s something small like a plant pot, or something much bigger like a mobility scooter or pushchair – if it’s yours please store it inside your home. It’s also important that you keep your doormat inside your home, as although it may seem harmless outside, in an emergency it could become a trip hazard.
- Leave repairs to the experts. If you have problems with your smoke detectors or think they are faulty, please get in touch with us and we will send out an electrician. This is our responsibility as your landlord.
- Don’t wedge fire doors open. Even on the hottest of summer days, you should never leave fire doors open for extended periods of time. If you need the doors open for a little while, for example to bring your shopping in, that’s OK - but please remember to close them afterwards.
By following these rules and keeping communal areas clear, you’re being a good neighbour! The principles above also apply to communal gardens, you’re free to use these spaces but you must put away any equipment once you have finished with it.
What are we responsible for as your landlord?
As your landlord we have an obligation to make sure your building meets fire safety regulations. Part of this means ensuring everyone can escape safely in an emergency. We’ll be on site regularly to make sure communal areas are free of people’s belongings and if we do find anything, we’ll always try to speak to the owner before temporarily removing the item. Our Grounds Maintenance team will also do their part to keep your community safe by maintaining communal gardens and keeping them clear and tidy.
Were here to help
We hope this article helped shed some light on the importance of keeping communal areas clear and how we can all play our part. If you find any items in your communal area and you are concerned about where they are being stored, you can informally let us know by emailing or calling us. Don’t worry, we’ll never share the source of this information with your neighbours.
We’ll always be happy to answer any questions you have about communal spaces, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us! You can find out more about keeping communal areas clear and safe and how you can be a good neighbour in the video below!