There is nothing more important than the safety of you and your family.

It’s important to familiarise yourself with the exit routes for your home, what the fire policy is whether to ‘Stay Put’ or ‘Evacuate’ and how to call the Fire Service in the event of a fire.

In January 2023, we sent all customers a fire safety leaflet which details what the evacuation policy is for your home, how to contact the fire service and some useful tips and advice around checking your smoke alarms. If you are a new customer, you will be provided with a fire safety leaflet upon signing your tenancy agreement with us.

All leaflets have been produced with the involvement of the Karbon Customer Scrutiny Group and the Fire Service. If you would like a copy of the fire safety leaflet specific to your home/building, please email us.

If your home has a fire door fitted, please click this link to find out more about the importance of these doors and how they can save your life.

We are required to carry out regular fire safety checks in your home and communal areas, making sure that Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) are up to date, there are appropriate smoke detectors and fire alarms, fire doors and other fire safety measures. Working alongside the Fire Service, we also regularly review any fire risks and the procedures for preventing and reporting fires.

If you are a homeowner and leaseholder, you are responsible for gas, oil and solid fuel appliance and electrical tests within your own home but, we’re responsible for communal installations.

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs)

If you are unable to evacuate your home in the event of a fire – due to either a permanent or temporary disability, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can carry out a ‘Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan’ (PEEP) with you.

If you live in a block of flats and are unable to escape via the stairs, please let us know by contacting us on 0800 533 5442. Information about any customers with mobility problems is held in the fireproof box on the ground floor. Therefore, the Fire Service have these detailed Fire Emergency Evacuation Plans immediately as they arrive, so should evacuation be necessary they will provide you with assistance.

Building Safety & Customer Scrutiny Group

We are working with a group of customers, committed to reviewing our customer needs and communication and engagement in building safety. The Customer Scrutiny Group has completed a review of Karbon and Byker properties including high rise buildings (18 metres or 7 storeys), all multi-story flats, sheltered and timber frame extra care schemes.

Internally, we have an established team called, ‘The Future of Building & Customer Safety Working Group’ which is made up of colleagues from various areas within Karbon and Byker. Their role is to ensure we are following regulations and will consider any recommendations that have been put forward by the scrutiny group.

Taller buildings

Managing the fire safety for our taller buildings is a key focus for Karbon. We own or manage eight buildings which are over 18 metres or 7 storeys. We’ve carried out detailed surveys in all of our buildings that we own and none have High Pressurised Laminate (HPL) or Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding.

Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs)

To request a copy of the Fire Risk Assessment for your building, please email us. We’ll need to know your address to send the correct document to you.

Want to know more?

If you have any queries relating to safety in your home, please contact BCT on Freephone 0800 533 5442 or pop into the office at 17 Raby Cross, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2FF

A guide to asbestos

BCT has developed an advice leaflet to provide you with ‘a guide to asbestos materials in homes’. Please click on this link to access this important information.

A guide to water hygiene

BCT has developed an advice leaflet to provide you with ‘a guide to water hygiene’. Please click on this link to access this important information.

Condensation and damp

Condensation is by far the most common cause of dampness in homes and affects both old and new properties. It usually leaves a musty smell and mould growth or spores.

A lot of moisture is produced in the air whenever you cook, run a bath/shower or dry clothes in your home. When the moisture meets a cold surface it turns into droplets of water called condensation and, if left, will develop into mould.

This usually happens on cold, outside surfaces and walls and in areas where the air does not flow well. It can damage clothes and furnishings.

You can reduce the problem by:

  • Wiping moisture away whenever you see it
  • Keeping a window open if you need to dry clothes indoors
  • Only using a tumble dryer with good airflow
  • Keeping all rooms in your property warm – even by keeping your heating on a low setting you can reduce the amount of moisture in the air
  • Letting air into a room by opening a window or a door
  • Making sure ventilation grills in doors, windows or walls are not closed

If mould does form within your home, please report it immediately to our repairs team on 0800 533 5442.

Electrical Safety

BCT will carry out electrical inspections in your home at least every 5 years, but if a repair is needed to any part of the electrical installation before then, including any sockets, then you must get in touch.

If you intend to carry out any electrical work in your home then you MUST apply for written permission from us first. The work would then need to be inspected once complete to ensure it has been done correctly by a competent qualified electrician, and is safe.

If you have a faulty appliance, it is your responsibility to replace any plug with the same size fuse and get a suitable qualified electrician to check other faults.

If we need to remove or rectify any unauthorised electrical works then any costs to make safe/remove/rectify the issue will be the customers’ responsibility.

More tips and safety advice

  • Do not overload sockets or extension leads. Most four-plug extension leads have a maximum loading of 13 amps. This equates to two 5-amp plugs and one 3-amp plug in one extension lead. If you exceed the maximum load it will result in the extension lead cable heating up, which could result in a fire. Use an extension lead with a residual current circuit breaker or residual current device (RCD), which will isolate the electric power if there is a problem.
  • Switch off and unplug non-essential electrics before you go to bed and when you go on holiday. Appliances left on standby can be a fire risk, and waste energy and your money.
  • Visually check your electrical appliances and cables regularly. Either repair or replace faulty appliances using a competent qualified electrician. Look out for the danger signs such as scorch marks on plugs or sockets, damaged or frayed cables, flickering lights and fuses that keep blowing for no reason.
  • Report any electrical installation defects immediately to BCT. Examples include damaged wall sockets or light switches, and damage to installation cabling.
  • Do not run extension leads through doorways.
  • Fully unwind reel type extension leads before use, as the cable will heat up if you don’t.
Tumble Dryer Safety

Tumble dryers and washing machines contain powerful motors with fast moving parts that get very hot.

Tips and advice

  • Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions before using the dryer.
  • Clean and maintain your machine regularly as excess fluff or lint can build up over time and catch fire.
  • Never leave your appliance unattended or running overnight.
  • Never overload your washing machine or dryer or put items in that have been used to soak up flammable or combustible liquids, like tea towels.
  • Keep your dryer well ventilated, ensuring the vent pipe is kink free and not blocked or crushed in any way.
  • Have your dryer serviced regularly by a qualified engineer.
  • Don’t ignore the warning signs:

-Does your tumble dryer smell of burning?
-Are your clothes taking longer to dry?
-Do the clothes feel hotter at the end of the cycle?
-Does the external vent flap stay shut when the dyer is on?
-If you notice any of the above, clean the filter and check the vent pipe immediately.