As your landlord, it's important to us that the housing we provide to our residents is safe and free from any hazards. We aim to:
Health and safety covers a wide range of areas such as:
Both the council and residents have responsibilities for maintaining a safe home. More information can be found in the repairs handbook.
The following information is for our social housing residents in council-owned homes and outlines what those responsibilities are.
The council treats fire safety with the utmost importance as we aim to protect our residents against the risk of fire.
As a landlord, our work is underpinned by different legislation and regulations, most notably the:
The East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service enforce this regulation and we work closely with them.
The council has many responsibilities to minimise the risk of fires throughout our housing stock. Residents also have a responsibility to protect themselves and others.
We carry out a range of inspections and assessments in our blocks of flats, then use the information to decide which jobs to do first.
We carry out the following inspections in our blocks:
A monthly inspection will take place in each block that is 18 metres or 7 storeys high, including checking the premises information box (PIB).
The information in these boxes will be kept up to date and made available to the East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service in case of an emergency.
The box contains the following information:
Alongside checking the PIB, we'll check all lifts used by the fire service are in good working order, as well as other key firefighting equipment.
We will:
We'll provide fire safety information to all residents in blocks every year and after any significant incident. This will include:
Following Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022, we'll install smoke and CO detectors in all council homes.
All residents, whether in a block or an individual property, have responsibilities regarding fire safety to ensure the well-being of those within their household and their neighbours.
If a fire breaks out in your home:
Residents living in blocks will be given additional information from the council about the evacuation procedure. Residents should familiarise themselves with this information to ensure their and other residents' safety.
For those within blocks, it's important that your hallways are clear of obstructions, especially things which burn easily or could present a trip hazard.
All communal corridors and lobbies must be kept clear of obstructions and stored items so everyone can exit quickly and allow the fire service clear access.
When remedial work has been identified following a fire risk assessment, it's important residents allow our operatives into their homes. Failure to do so may put the household and others at risk.
We're responsible for installing smoke and CO detectors where gas is present. Residents are responsible for testing the alarms and replacing the batteries as needed.
If the alarm still does not work after replacing the batteries, or if residents are unable to replace the batteries themselves, request a smoke or CO detector repair.
The Building Safety Act (2022) details how we are to maintain safety in our higher-risk buildings, being held to account by the Building Regulator.
The Building Safety Act 2022 defines a “higher risk building” as a building in England that is at least 18 metres in height or has at least 7 storeys.
Although the Act includes the planning, building and maintenance of higher-risk buildings, this section will focus on the requirements for maintaining our existing buildings.
Learn more about the planning and building requirements of the legislation.
We'll keep a priority list of our high-risk buildings, which will show us which buildings have the greater risk. The list will be informed by fire risk assessments and building safety risk assessments.
By knowing the level of risk of each building and prioritising them, we can determine where we need to focus our work, to resolve and mitigate issues.
Alongside the priority list, each higher-risk building will have its own case file which will include:
Each building will have a structural survey completed, looking at things like cladding and structural integrity. The risk of these surveys will determine when the next survey should be completed.
We'll also have a Housing High Rise Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy that explains our communication with our residents in high-rise blocks. The strategy will explain:
In addition to the strategy, each high-rise block will have an individual resident engagement plan tailored to the needs of the residents and building type. Each plan will outline how we:
To help us with building safety report any defects you notice to our repairs and maintenance team.
Work with our operatives and ensure access is granted when needed, as stated in your tenancy agreement.
If works are required it's important we complete them as soon as possible, to ensure the safety of the building and its residents.
The council as a landlord must follow the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998.
We will:
For us to be able to check the safety of gas appliances we require access to properties. Work with our operatives so they can be allowed access to do their work.
As we're regulated to provide these checks, failure to allow access will result in forced entry.
Should you be aware of any issues with the gas appliances in your home, report any issues with gas appliances immediately.
If you suspect a gas leak, phone the National Grid on 0800 111 999.
The council must adhere to electrical safety regulations and keep up to date with its regular changes.
We take electrical safety extremely seriously, as failure to do so can cause serious harm to our residents and employees.
Our main aim is to ensure that our residents have safe, working electrics in their homes.
We'll assess whether a new electrical installation is required:
We'll give all new equipment, such as new wiring or sockets, an electrical installation certificate.
We'll conduct an electrical safety check every 5 years from the date of the installation to check on its condition. If any problems are found we'll resolve those as a matter of urgency.
During these tests, we'll also check that installations are up to date with current regulations and if not, carry out any work needed.
Some properties have not recently had an electrical installation or test. We, or one of our approved contractors will write to you if your home is due an electrical test.
To check the safety of electrical installations we require access to properties. We ask that you work with our operatives and contractors so they can be allowed access to do their work.
Report any electrical issues in your home immediately. This includes things like:
It's also important you're careful with what you're plugging into the sockets, including making sure you are not overloading the socket. Look out for any damage to devices you are plugging in, especially with old or second-hand equipment.
It's important that you do not attempt any DIY with your electrics. This can cause further issues which will need to be resolved, but more crucially it can cause serious harm should it not be done correctly.
If you want to pay privately for someone else to do electrical work, you must first request permission to make alterations or improvements to your council property.
Failure to maintain proper safe water systems can result in bacteria growth, which can lead to health concerns for our residents. As a result, we have certain obligations under the Health & Safety Executive.
We're responsible for the quality of water coming into properties. We do this by conducting water risk assessments where appropriate.
Risks will be managed based on how high the risk is. We'll put in place actions to reduce or remove any risks.
We regularly flush water storage systems in residential blocks to minimise bacteria. We also do this in empty properties before letting.
Allow our operatives access to properties to do their checks.
Report any issues with your water systems immediately.
For your safety, it's recommended that stored water is brought up to 60°C or more at least once a week.
If you're away from your home for more than 2 weeks when you return:
Keep all taps and shower heads clean and free from limescale.
We manage lifts within resident blocks under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. These are the communal lifts used by residents.
Every 6 months, the council’s appointed insurer inspects the lifts covered by the above legislation.
The council will undertake monthly checks, which are currently beyond the current regulatory requirements, however, we're not regulated to do this.
Where repair issues are identified, we'll:
If we need to close a lift to deal with an issue, we'll communicate this with the affected residents, including expected timescales the lift will be out of order.
The lift report will be sent to key people throughout the council including:
Welfare checks will be conducted with those most affected by the closure of a lift, specifically in situations where there's no other lift in operation.
In situations where the closure of a lift is expected to be for an extended time, we may have to move some residents who rely on the lift into another property.
Report issues with lifts within council blocks immediately.
For the continued safe use of lifts, we expect our residents and their guests to respect and take care of the lifts when used.
Do not block the doors or force the doors open or closed.
If there's an issue with the lift during use, use the hazard button on the button panel.
Asbestos is a natural mineral that is resistant to heat and chemicals. This has led to the use of asbestos fibres in a wide range of building materials and products, often as a fireproofing measure.
The most common types of commercially used Asbestos (Amosite and Crocidolite or Brown and Blue asbestos) within the UK have been prohibited since 1985, with an outright ban in 1999 (Chrysotile or White asbestos).
Homes built since the year 2000 are unlikely to contain asbestos in the fabric of the building and can be presumed to be asbestos-free.
Building materials containing asbestos were widely used in housing, commercial and industrial buildings, in both the private and public sectors, from 1930 to around the mid-1990s, particularly from the 1960s onwards. Therefore, houses and flats built or refurbished during that period may contain asbestos.
When asbestos-containing materials age or become damaged, they can release fibres into the air. These can be breathed deep into the lungs where they may stay for a long time, causing damage. When high levels of these fibres are breathed in over extended periods, there is a risk of lung diseases, including cancer.
People most likely to be affected include those who have:
Workplace regulations and prohibitions now protect such people.
Most people can't recognise materials containing asbestos. It needs people with specific skills and experience to do this and even then, only a laboratory analysis can positively identify whether a material contains asbestos.
Products containing asbestos can look similar to those that do not. If in any doubt seek advice.
Brighton & Hove City Council Housing acknowledges the serious health hazards associated with exposure to asbestos fibres.
The council accepts its responsibility under the current Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and all future associated legislation.
We'll reduce everyone’s exposure to asbestos within council-owned homes and communal areas, to the lowest possible level as far as is reasonably practicable.
To do this, the council will:
Works to resolve high-risk asbestos issues can be time-consuming and disruptive.
We aim to complete work in a timely fashion and with minimal disruption and would request that residents allow us access.
Failure to allow access will result in our repair operatives being unable to resolve any problems in the property.
If you think you have damaged asbestos materials in your home, you should seek advice.
Phone the Repairs Helpdesk for advice on 01273 294 409:
See how we're performing with our annual asbestos inspections.
The Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is a risk assessment tool used to assess potential risks to the health and safety of occupants in residential properties. It focuses on hazards that are most likely to be present in housing.
Tackling these hazards will make more homes healthier and safer to live in.
The council will carry out assessments before the start of a tenancy. A risk assessment looks at the likelihood of an incident arising from the condition of the property and the likely harmful outcome.
Hazards are divided into 2 categories:
Of these 29 hazards, we have identified several hazards listed below that you as a resident share the responsibility of reducing. This will help us keep our residents, visitors and staff safe.
This concerns health threats due to dust mites, mould or fungal and those associated with damp, humid and mouldy conditions.
Find out how best to deal with dampness and mould in your home.
Report persistent condensation, dampness and mould growth to the repairs helpdesk.
Hazards are associated with a lack of space for living, sleeping and normal household or family life.
It's important that residents do not hoard or overfill their properties. Contact Housing Customer Services for support in dealing with hoarding.
Health hazards due to poor design, layout and construction make it hard to keep clean and hygienic, attracting pests and inadequate and unhygienic provisions for storing household waste.
Report any hygiene issues that are caused by issues with the property.
Residents are expected to take care of their home and keep it clean and tidy, regularly emptying waste bins.
There are 4 types of trips, both internal and external, that are included in the HHSRS:
It's important that if you have done work yourself or have paid a third party to do work at your property it's of a standard that does not create tripping hazards.
This includes:
This can be prevented through ensuring a clean environment where food is stored, prepared and cooked.
Tenants who have fitted their own kitchen and/or bathroom are responsible for maintaining all pipework and drainage.
This includes:
Find out how we deal with fire safety and what you can do to protect yourself and others.
This includes:
It’s important that residents do not make alterations to their property without first seeking permission from us. Request permission to make alterations or improvements to your council property.
Find out how we deal with building safety and what you can do to protect yourself and others.
To request a repair:
You can also request a repair through your Housing Online account.
If your council home needs an emergency repair, phone 0800 052 6140.
If the repair is for a suspected gas leak, phone the National Grid on 0800 111 999.
If you have any other queries or concerns you can contact our housing customer services:
Should you wish to make a complaint, first contact the service directly so that we have the opportunity to put things right.
If you have tried reporting the problem and it has not been resolved, you can make a complaint using our corporate complaints procedure.