Safety Checks

As your landlord, we want to ensure you are safe in your home. This page explains how we do that and how you can help.

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    What we do

    As your landlord, Eastlight is responsible for carrying out certain safety checks in your home.

    Gas and oil safety checks are carried out annually, an Electrical Safety Installation Condition Report is completed every five years, and fire safety checks are undertaken in the communal areas of blocks of Eastlight flats every three years.

    We also know where asbestos is present, so that any work required can be carried out safely.

    More details about the checks, and how you can stay safe, are below.

Testing your household alarms

Watch the video below to see how to test the smoke & carbon monoxide alarms in your home to ensure they are working effectively. If you are unable to view this video, please click the shield icon on the bottom, left-hand-side of this page and allow ‘Targeting cookies'

1:12 Youtube

Gas and Oil

Our contractors, Axis or Gas Call, will contact you annually to arrange a gas or oil safety check at your convenience. Please look out for your appointment letter, which will arrive around 10 months after your last check. The letter will explain how you can book a timeslot or re-arrange your appointment, if you need to.

It’s important you keep to your agreed appointment date and time, and give our contractor access on the day, for your own safety.

What you need to know

Gas and oil safety checks save lives. You risk breaching your tenancy agreement and facing legal action if you don't:

  • keep your appointment.
  • allow our contractor into your home.

Identifying your contractor

Our contractors will always be happy to show their company ID and Gas Safe ID card. They are also all registered with the Gas Safe Register. If you’re not sure whether they are genuine, call the Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500 or gassaferegister.co.uk/find-an-engineer  

Gas appliances that belong to you

If you have gas appliances that belong to you, not Eastlight, the contractor will inspect them too. However, you are responsible for having them serviced and maintained. The engineer will also test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

If our contractor finds a problem

If our contractor finds any issues, they’re required by law to make the appliance safe. This may include disconnecting the appliance from your gas supply. If this happens, you’ll be given a report that explains what to do to have the appliance reconnected safely.

Gas leaks

If you smell gas or suspect a gas or carbon monoxide leak, please call the National Gas Emergency Helpline immediately on 0800 111 999.

You should also:

  • switch off all your gas appliances
  • open all windows and doors to ventilate your home
  • turn off the gas supply at the mains (there’s usually a large lever next to the gas meter)
  • evacuate your home immediately and wait for advice from the emergency services
  • get immediate medical help; you may have been affected by carbon monoxide
  • arrange a safety inspection and any necessary repairs with our Customer Service Team.

More information on staying gas safe can be found here.

Fire

What to do in the event of a fire

In the event of a fire, you must:

  • Call 999 or 112 from any telephone and ask for the Fire Service
  • Give your address and postcode.

If you live in a flat, the Fire Action Notice in the communal area will tell you what to do in an emergency. It may be that it is safer for you to remain in your flat, rather than leave immediately. 

Fire doors

Fire doors are crucial, life-saving safety devices, designed to restrict the spread of smoke and fire.

Please do:

Please don't:

  • Alter or change your flat front door without prior consent from Eastlight
  • Tamper with doors or self-closing devices.

How we help keep you safe

We carry out Fire Risk Assessments every three years in our General Needs flat blocks, and annually in our Housing for Older People Schemes.

We also distribute essential fire safety information annually to all residents living in blocks of flats.

Click here to see simple precautions you can take to reduce the chance of a fire in your home.

Electric

We are responsible for ensuring that your home has a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).

The check is carried out by a qualified electrician every five years.

We will also check electrical supplies in any communal areas and arrange regular inspections of electrical equipment installed in them.

Please allow our contractors to carry out this check when an appointment is booked.

You can find more electrical safety tips here.

Asbestos

Asbestos is a mineral fibre used in building materials and products used from 1950 to 2000. They have now been banned, and if your home was built after 2000 it is highly unlikely to contain asbestos.

Asbestos is safe if it is undamaged. It can become dangerous if the fibres are disturbed through age or DIY activity. When disturbed, it is harmful when breathed in.

Eastlight holds an asbestos register and are aware if asbestos is present in your home.

It is important to obtain permission from us (landlord's consent) before doing any work in your home. In addition, an Asbestos Survey may need to be carried out prior to any major refurbishment. 

Please click here to find out about obtaining landlord's consent

Insurance for your home

Eastlight arranges Building Insurance covering the structure of your home. We recommend you purchase Contents Insurance to protect the belongings that matter to you.

A person under a sink, fixing pipes

Questions or concerns?

Please contact us if you have anything you would like to ask or discuss about your safety. We are here for you. Click here to contact us. You may also like to click here read our 'Your Home, Your Safety' leaflet, for more information and safety tips.