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:
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 ‘Simultaneous’ evacuation procedure
If you hear an alarm or discover a fire:
Leave the area immediately, do not stop to collect belongings and close the door behind you. Do not attempt to tackle a fire.
If, in the event of a fire, the alarm is not already sounding, activate the fire alarm by pressing the break glass on the front of the nearest fire alarm call point (call points are red in colour, located on all landings next to a set of fire evacuation instructions).
Call the Fire Brigade by dialing 999. The scheme address is Deans Court, 3 St Georges Road, Bristol BS1 5UL. Tell the operator this is a ‘357 bed student residence’.
Proceed to the nearest fire exit following the signs, and leave the building. Make your way to the paved area outside Brunel House (the building to the right of Deans Court as you leave the main gate onto St Georges Road) and follow the instructions of the available Fire Marshals (identifiable by a bright yellow top with ‘Fire Marshal’ written on the back) or the Fire Brigade.
The lift will stop working in the event of an alarm activation, use of the stairs will be required.
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