Caspian Apartments building safety information

Property Manager, Lemaine Barrett

Lemaine.Barrettt@a2dominion.co.uk or call 07867 189897

Customer safety is our number one priority and we’re committed to ensuring your building is managed and maintained to a good standard. Below we’ll explain:
 
  • Who to contact for any issues relating to your building
  • Our responsibilities as your landlord
  • Your responsibilities
  • Evacuation strategy for your building
  • How you can get involved 

Who to contact: Property Manager

Your building has a dedicated Property Manager who is responsible for the following: 

  • Being your first point of contact for any issues or queries you may have 
  • Monitoring service standards.
  • Supervising building maintenance and ensuring it is delivered in a timely way and to a good standard
  • Maintaining accurate records of service charge costs
  • Engaging with you and sharing building safety information 

How we’ll communicate with you 

  • We will provide updates on operations and outstanding issues relating to building safety when these are required. These will be sent via email unless you have requested a different communication method. Please let us know if you change your email address.
  • Gather your views and share safety information for your building through a variety of methods. This could include speaking to you in person or online, via post, or electronic messaging to seek your views and share building safety information.
  • Send occasional surveys to understand how you are feeling and what more we can do to improve our services or the safety of your development. 
  • Provide communications suited to your accessibility needs, including translations and printed versions of materials, on request. 

What we’re doing: Our responsibilities

Repairs and maintenance 

We’re responsible for repairs to your building's structure, including the roof and guttering, and repairs to shared parts of the building, such as lifts and communal stairways. We’re also responsible for your building insurance which helps to protect the entire building from accidents and disasters. 

We're also responsible for most repairs in your home, which include: 

  • electrical wiring
  • gas pipes and boilers
  • heating and hot water
  • chimneys and ventilation
  • sinks, baths, toilets, pipes and drains
You can report a repair through MyAccount or by calling our Customer Contact Centre on 0800 432 0077.

Building safety 

We’re responsible for all building and fire safety matters. We have a legal duty to ensure that a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) is carried out in your building to identify and remove any fire risks and hazards, or to reduce these as far as possible. We also carry regular servicing and maintenance in your building, including lifts and electrical items. 

Whenever we need to make decisions relating to safety in your building, we’ll consult you first, through individual resident meetings and group sessions. If we need to carry out safety works where you live, we’ll provide you with detailed information through webinars and resident meetings. For example, detail on what will be done, timescales, risks, potential disruptions, or costs. We’ll also explain the options being considered and your views will be considered, and we’ll let you know the final outcome in terms of the works that will go ahead. And we’ll also keep you informed of the day-to-day activities involved in managing and maintaining your building as outlined in the ‘How we’ll communicate with you’ section above.’

Working together: Your responsibilities 

Repairs and maintenance 

Please check your tenancy or lease agreement which outlines repair responsibilities for your property.

If you are unsure, please contact your property manager.

 

Fire safety 

It’s important that you know what to do in the event of a fire in your home or building. Here are some steps you can take:

•Check smoke alarms: Please test your alarm at least once a month, even if your smoke alarm is mains powered, as it needs backup batteries, so the device works in a power cut. If the alarm is not working, try changing the batteries. If it’s still not working after the batteries have been changed, please report this to us calling 0800 432 0077.  

•Cooking: If you’re using your cooker, keep tea towels, cloths and other flammable materials away from the cooker when it's in use. Make sure your cooking appliances are switched off properly when you're not using them. 

•Smoking: We recommend using glass, metal or ceramic ashtrays. Make sure you stub out your cigarette fully before disposing correctly. Don’t smoke in bed or in communal areas. 

•Keep communal areas clear of personal items and rubbish: Make sure your communal areas are clear of rubbish, pushchairs, mobility scooters and other household items, to ensure that fire escape routes are accessible for everyone. Report any safety issues or hazards. 

•Familiarise yourself with the fire signs and exits: This includes where the stairs are (do not use lifts in the event of a fire). Don’t interfere with safety items which includes removing or propping open fire doors in your building. 

•Keep your home maintained and all safety items serviced: Allow access for our teams to maintain fire safety equipment. 

Let us know if you have any changes in your circumstances or living arrangements that could make it difficult for you to leave the building in an emergency. This will ensure we can put plans in place to support you if needed. Please also make sure that you tell us about updates to your personal details, such as a new email address or phone number, so we can keep you informed. 

Your building is a ‘Stay Put’ evacuation procedure 

The National Fire Chief Council advises that if there is a fire in your building, but not inside your own home, then you are usually safer to stay in your flat unless the heat or smoke from the fire is affecting you. 

If you smell smoke or see or hear of a fire in another part of your building

  • The building is designed to contain a fire within the flat where it starts
  • This means it will usually be safe to stay in your home if the fire is in another flat.
  • Please make sure that your entrance door is closed and stay inside your flat
  • If you are not directly affected by the fire you should remain in your home until told otherwise by the Fire Service
  • The ‘Stay Put’ policy is a recommendation to help keep you safe when you are in an area not directly affected by fire. But staying put is not a legal requirement 
 

Calling the Fire Service  

  • Dial 999 ask for the Fire Service and give your telephone number
  • When the Fire Service replies, give the address where the fire is
  • Do not end the call until the Fire Service has repeated the address correctly
  • Don’t assume someone else has called 999. If you see a fire, make the call
How to get involved
If you’d like to get more involved with building safety discussions or find out more about information set out in this guide, please contact your Property Manager.

Please let us know if you would like this guide translated or in a different format.

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