Don’t let your Christmas go up in smoke

Please do your bit to keep communal areas clear - just one of the simple ways you can help to keep your home and family safe this Christmas.

Keep communal areas clear

Christmas cards, presents, packaging, decorations and festive food all result in more waste – but if you live in a flat, please don’t dump your rubbish, bags or boxes in communal areas. These are your escape routes in an emergency so need to be kept clear at all times.

We know that wheelie bins and bin areas get filled up fast at this time of year so we’re providing extra bins and collection services to blocks of flats over the festive period. Our teams of Neighbourhood Wardens will be extra busy keeping tower and walk-up blocks clean and tidy. Check out what you can recycle and read our useful tips on how to reduce, reuse, recycle.

Be fire aware

Sparkling fairy lights and twinkling candles give a warm and festive glow, but they can be dangerous – and even deadly – if you’re not careful.

• Always remember to turn off Christmas lights and blow out candles at night, and whenever you go out
• Don’t leave children or pets in a room with a lit candle and keep naked flames away from material like curtains or tablecloths which could easily catch alight
• Christmas lights and electrical gadgets all require power sources. Remember not to overload plug sockets and only use the approved manufacturer’s cables and chargers. A lot of house fires are started by faulty cables and batteries that overheat and catch alight
• Check your smoke alarm is working. If you have any queries just call our Contact Centre on 023 8083 3006
• Real Christmas trees are more prone to catching fire than artificial trees. If you do have a real Christmas tree at home remember to keep it well watered to stop it from drying out
• Decorations can burn easily so don’t attach them to lights or heaters and keep them well away from candles

Stay safe in the kitchen

Did you know that cooking causes over 50% of all home fires so it’s worth remembering the following advice when preparing your Christmas lunch.

• Don’t leave cooking unattended and switch off the hob and oven if you go out
• Keep tea towels and other materials away from the hob and turn pan handles around so they can’t be reached by young children
• The risk of accidents, especially in the kitchen, is greater after you’ve been drinking alcohol, so take extra care if you’re having a few festive drinks