SMC Fire & Safety is supporting the UK Government’s fire safety campaign ‘Fire Kills’. It is designed to spread the message of everyday fire hazards and urge agents and landlords to ensure smoke alarms are installed on every floor of their properties.
The refreshed Fire Kills campaign has returned to highlight the everyday accidents that can cause a fire in homes. It also includes information on general fire safety for agents and landlords on fire safety in shared or rented accommodation. While it is not definitive, it gives agents, landlords and our clients wider reassurance.
As a landlord or letting agent acting on behalf of a landlord you are legally required to install smoke alarms on every floor of a property you let as living accommodation. While the majority of homes now have at least one working smoke alarm, 23 per cent of people say they never test them.
Home Office analysis has found you are around eight times more likely to die in a fire if you do not have a working smoke alarm in your home. Existing research also indicates that some people are more at risk of fire than others, such as older people and people with disabilities.
It’s easy to make mistakes. Being alert to hazards after a long day at work, or with distractions at home is never easy.
This is why this campaign is so important – it reminds us of how we can prevent the unthinkable.
At the very least, if you do nothing else, please buy smoke alarms for your home so you and yours can sleep easy.
Kit Malthouse MP
The campaign also highlights candles, cigarettes, portable heaters and overloaded extension leads as causes which can lead to fires in any room of a home.
Other Home Office analysis of fires has also found that most accidental fires start with cooking appliances (48 per cent), for example, by something flammable being left too close to the cooker, such as a tea towel.
Here at SMC we believe it’s essential for people to be aware of fire risks in their homes. We would always encourage agents to do the same in order to better inform and help people put appropriate measures in place to keep themselves and others safe.
More information on Fire Kills campaign
You can find more information and view the Fire Kills campaign at https://firekills.campaign.gov.uk/.
Image attribution: “Kit Malthouse Official MP Portrait” used under CC BY 3.0
