Using your home

The terms and conditions of your Tenancy Agreement set out the council's responsibilities and your responsibilities for using your home.

Smoke alarms

Consider fitting a smoke detector in your property if you do not already have one. Detectors save lives by sounding an alarm when they sense smoke.

Brent Housing Partnership on behalf of the council is fitting detectors in all empty council properties. Free alarms may be available for pensioners and the disabled - ask your housing officer for details.

If you do have a smoke alarm you should operate the test button once a month to ensure that it is working and replace flat batteries immediately (the detector beeps to indicate when batteries are running out).

Ways to avoid fire:

When buying new electrical appliances, check that they are B.E.A.B. approved as a guarantee of safe design. These initials stand for "British Electrical Approvals Board" and appear on a label or swing ticket. You should have second-hand electrical goods checked by an expert
check and renew worn flexes. Flexes should always be as short as possible, and never run under a carpet or rug. Not only can they cause fires, they are easy to trip over
have your electric blanket serviced regularly by the makers. Please persuade your elderly relatives and friends to do the same, as electric blankets, comforting as they are, can cause tragedies if neglected. Switch off when you go to bed unless you have an all-night blanket
never place anything on or against night storage or any other heaters. Particularly never dry or air laundry on any appliance which has not been designed for that purpose, this includes night storage heaters
never overload electrical points and avoid using multi-way adaptors
switch off and unplug your television before you go to bed
keep the entrance hall to your dwelling and the communal landings and staircases free from all obstructions and combustible material
keep doors closed when not in use, especially at night.
Don't store flammable materials, especially liquids, on the premises
do buy flame-resistant furnishings and fabrics when you can, especially for your family's night clothes and house coats.

In the case of fire

Dial 999 and ask for the Fire Brigade, giving your exact address. If you don't have a telephone of your own, ask a neighbour
get your family out of the property as soon as possible
if possible, close all doors and windows to prevent the fire spreading
warn your neighbours
remove your vehicle if it is obstructing emergency vehicles.

Gas

If you smell gas in your home there could be a leak. Take the following measures:

Put out all cigarettes or naked flames
open doors and windows
avoid turning electrical switches on or off
check that you have not left a gas appliance or pilot light on
call National Grid (formerly Transco) on 0800 111 999.

Electricity

Avoid electrical accidents by taking the following precautions:

Use good quality plugs on electrical appliances, and make sure they are correctly wired (live = red or brown wire, neutral = black or blue wire, earth = green or yellow and green wire)
use the correct fuse for each appliance. The manufactureru25A0s instructions or the rating plate (usually on the back or base of the appliance) will tell you which one to use
unplug appliances if they are not in use
don't let wires trail across or under the carpet. If wires become worn, they could be dangerous.

Water:

Make sure you know how to switch off your water supply at the main supply tap
if you are going away on holiday in cold weather, it is particularly important to turn off the water supply in your property to limit damage if pipes burst while you are away
if you do have a burst pipe, turn the water supply off and our Repairs Contact Centre on 020 8937 2750 during office hours or the out of office hours emergency service at other times on 020 8937 1234.

Explosive or flammable substances

Using bottled gas is extremely dangerous as it can cause explosions. The terms and conditions of your Tenancy Agreement forbid the use or storage of bottled gas, petrol, paraffin or any other flammable or explosive substance in your home or nearby. In particular you must not use a bottled-gas or paraffin heater If you live in a block of flats and maisonette.

Going away

If you are leaving your home unattended for a period of time:

Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies to your home where this does not disrupt the supplies to any other homes
leave your home securely locked, and check that all windows are closed
You may want to tell your housing officer at your local office how you can be contacted, or who should be contacted in your absence, in case Brent Housing Partnership needs to gain access to your home in the event of an emergency
if you are gone from your home for too long without telling us we may assume that you have abandoned it and we could get a court order which means you could lose your home.

Entryphone Systems

Some blocks in the borough are fitted with entryphone systems. These are designed to ensure that only authorised people gain access to the block in order to increase the security of your flat. Please make sure that you do not let anyone into the block who is not known to you. If there are any defects in the door entry system, please report them immediately to your local area office.

Rubbish collection

Most blocks of flats have a chute for ordinary rubbish. It is vital for the health and hygiene of all residents that rubbish is wrapped in small bundles which will not get stuck in the chute.

Free service for large items of rubbish

If you have large items of rubbish, such as unwanted furniture, you can arrange for five items to be collected free of charge by calling the council's special collection service on 020 8937 5050. You can use this service up to three times a year.

Condensation

Condensation is caused when warm moist air meets a cold surface. The common sources are steam from kitchens and bathrooms and moist air from tumble dryers. In most cases, condensation can be prevented by allowing the warm, moist air to escape by opening windows or ventilators and, trying to keep all rooms a little warm, especially in cold weather. Keep bathroom and kitchen doors shut especially when cooking, washing or bathing. If you find patches of mould on the walls or your property is damp, condensation may be the cause. If you are taking steps to minimise condensation but it still persists, contact your local area office.

Home security

Most burglars gain entry through doors and windows. Over half of all break-ins are made through the back of the property.

These are some simple measures to take:

When leaving your home make sure that all windows and doors are properly secured
try to get locks fitted on windows and good locks on exterior doors. (Financial help may be available - ask your local Area Office)
if you are going away try to get a neighbour to keep an eye on your home
try to prevent obvious signs that the property is empty such as milk bottles on the step or newspapers in the door
join a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme (if it exists) or even consider setting one up
fit a burglar alarm.

Free advice is available on how to make your home more secure from your local Crime Prevention Officer.

Bogus callers

Some criminals trick their way into homes so they can steal. This simple guide may help you avoid this problem.

Do

Use a door chain or spy hole if you have them
ask callers for their identity card
refuse entry to a stranger or someone you are not sure of
ring the police if you are not sure about the claims of someone calling at the door.

Do not

Allow anyone into your home if you are not happy about them
believe someone who is claiming to be an official without the proper identification
part with cash on the promise that work will be done in the future
keep more money in the home than you need.

Always check that officials visiting your home are genuine. Brent Housing Partnership Officers and contractors working on their behalf will be able to show you identification. Make sure you ask to see it before you permit entry to your property.

Remember, a genuine called will never mind you taking precautions.