Fire safety for council tenants

If you live in a Portsmouth Homes property, you should:

• let us know if you don’t have a hardwired smoke detector
• if you live in a property with gas, let us know if you don’t have a carbon monoxide alarm
• always let us in to do routine gas and electricity maintenance
• be cautious with lit cigarettes, candles and other naked flames

If you live in a block of flats:

• keep all personal belongings out of communal areas. We have a zero-tolerance approach for your safety.
• do not smoke in communal hallways or lifts, or put cigarettes out on the floor
• do not keep gas bottles or similar items in your flat or in the block, including sheds.

You can view or download fire safety leaflets from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue fire safety guidance and the Government fire safety guidance.

You can also view our Fire Safety policy – zero tolerance approach.

Full evacuation from property

This applies to:

• Houses
• Bungalows
• Specific blocks of flats
• Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)

If a fire starts in your home or you become aware of a fire elsewhere in the building, you should:

• leave your home immediately, closing your door behind you
• phone 999 when safe to do so
• assemble at a safe place away from the building

If the fire alarm sounds you should;

• leave your home as soon as the alarm sounds.
• do not use the lift to evacuate.
• phone 999 when safe to do so.
• assemble at a safe place away from the building
• do not re-enter the building until told it is safe by a member of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.

You can view or download the fire safety leaflet.

The following properties have a temporary full evacuation process in place:

• Westminster Place
• Wingfield Street
• Hawthorn Crescent
• Roslyn House

The following properties have a permanent full evacuation process in place:

• The Casements, 23 Lennox Road
• Fort House (1-30)
• HMOs

Stay put

This applies to all properties within blocks of flats that have not been mentioned above.

If there is a fire where you are, including your own property or a communal area:

• leave your location immediately, closing the door behind you
• phone 999 when safe to do so

If the fire is not in the same room as you, but in a neighbouring property:

• close all your windows and doors, and wait for the fire service to arrive
• leave your home only if told to by the fire service, who may decide to evacuate the block in a safe, organised way

This applies to Ladywood House only.

If you hear the fire alarm and the fire is not in your flat, you should:

• close all your windows and doors, and wait for the fire service to arrive
• leave your home only if told to by the fire service, who may decide to evacuate the block in a safe, organised way.

If the evacuation system alert is activated in your flat by the emergency services:

• leave your property, closing all doors behind you
• use the stairs, never the lifts
• wait somewhere safe outside
• do not re-enter the building until told it is safe by a member of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.

You can view or download the Ladywood House fire safety leaflet.

For more fire safety advice, email our Customer Repairs Team at customerrepairsteam@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call 023 9284 1311.

If you have any queries about your fire safety and evacuation procedures, email at building.safety@portsmouthcc.gov.uk