Avoid burglaries

Most burglaries aren’t planned. You can avoid them by taking some easy steps:

• If you are not at home, you should not: leave the curtains closed in the daytime, leave notes for callers, or leave your key under a mat or on a string inside the letter box
• Never leave cash or valuables around, especially where they can be seen from outside
• Lock up properly before you go to bed
• Secure windows, especially those on the ground floor and near drainpipes or flat roofs
• Always secure the windows and lock the doors when you leave the house
• Before you go on holiday, remember to cancel the newspapers and milk. Ask a trusted neighbour to move your post from where it can be seen
• When you go out in the evening, close the curtains and leave a light on
• Have a light and radio on a timer that comes on automatically when you are out
• Always secure any ladders you leave outside your home
• Keep a record of serial numbers or mark your belongings with an invisible security pen. If they’re stolen, you’re more likely to get them back
• Protect personal information
• Be careful when disposing of paperwork that has personal information on it. It can be used for identity theft and fraud. Shred it if you can

Avoid bogus callers

• Be cautious when opening the door to strangers and use the safety chain
• Always check a person’s identity before allowing them into your home

If you’re visually impaired, please call your local office and ask for a password for when a member of staff or contractor visits you. When they arrive, they should say the password so you know we have sent them. You should also agree a unique password with your gas and electricity supplier that will be used when their staff visit you

Front-door locks and entry phones

We usually provide a Yale lock for your front door. You are responsible for adding extra security. If you want to add an extra lock, you should use a ’snib’ lock, which is safer in a fire as you can open it from the inside without a key. A lock without a ’snib’ is against fire regulations as it can stop you escaping. If you want to put an extra lock on a door that you share with other tenants, you must get agreement from them, and us, first. Changes to locks on communal doors must be agreed with us. If there’s a door entry phone in your block only let people into the main entrance door if you’re expecting them and keep the main door closed at all times.

Window locks

You may wish to fit locks to your windows, especially if you live on the ground floor. The crime prevention officer at your local police station can advise you what type of lock to use. If you can’t afford it and there’s a security risk, we may be able to help you pay. Contact us for more information.

Insure your home contents

We insure the structure of your home, and the fixtures and fittings, but not your personal possessions. We recommend you insure against fire, theft, and water damage for your possessions, decorations and repairs for which you are responsible and third party liability (for example, if your washing machine leaks and damages someone else’s property). You should have received a leaflet about home contents insurance as part of your signup pack. If you didn’t, contact us. Contact us if you think you can claim against our insurance.

Electrical safety

• Make sure plugs are wired correctly and fuses are working
• Avoid having long flexes
• Don’t plug too many items into one socket
• Unplug or switch off electrical appliances when you aren’t using them (this will save you money too)
• Check electrical fixtures and fittings regularly for worn or damaged parts, or loose connections
• Keep mains-powered electrical equipment out of the bathroom
• Make sure radiant fires have safety guards
• Never touch plugs, switches or electrical equipment if you have wet hands
• Never use portable electrical equipment in the bathroom (except for shavers with a special shaver socket)
• Make sure you know how to turn off the mains electricity supply in case of emergency. There is usually a switch on or near the fuse box

Gas leaks

If you smell gas:

• don’t strike a match or use naked flames
• put out cigarettes, cigars, candles etc
• avoid using electrical switches
• open doors and windows to let the gas escape
• check to see if the gas tap has been left on, or a gas ring or pilot light has blown out
• turn off the whole supply at the meter and contact the National Grid on 0800 111 999 immediately

If you’re a Catalyst tenant we’ll carry out a gas safety check in your home once a year to make sure it’s safe. To find out more go to the gas safety for tenants webpage.

If you’re a leaseholder, you’re responsible for the gas safety in your home. Go to the gas safety for leaseholders webpage for more information.

Water leaks

If your pipes burst and there is flooding:

• turn off the water supply at the stopcock
• switch off the electricity supply to the areas affected
• leave on the taps to drain the water from the system
• tell any neighbours who might be affected
• call us to report the problem

If you go away for a short time in cold weather, leave the heating on low so your pipes don’t freeze. If you go away for longer in cold weather, switch off the water at the stopcock and empty the system by turning on the taps until it’s drained.

Avoid accidents in the home

• Keep floor coverings in good condition
• Replace light bulbs as soon as they stop working
• Light stairs well
• Use non-slip polishes and mats on shiny floors
• When you need to use a stepladder, make sure it’s safe
• Keep children safe
• Don’t leave children alone at home. Supervise them at all times
• Keep children away from cookers, turn pan handles towards the back of the cooker, and use the back hotplates when you can. Never leave them in the kitchen alone
• Keep children away from hot drinks
• Fit window locks and keep balcony doors closed
• Put gates on stairs
• Store all medicines and cleaning materials out of children’s reach
• Ensure your medicines have safety caps
• Keep children away from electrical sockets. Put safety covers on sockets when you aren’t using them
• Don’t leave matches or lighters around
• Remember it’s against the law to leave children under 12 years of age in a room with an unguarded fire
• Choose toys suitable for your child’s age

Make your garden safe

• Put equipment away safely when you aren’t using it, and lock sheds
• Make sure barbecues are always supervised by a responsible adult. Extinguish the barbecue before leaving it
• Ensure any play equipment is secure and well maintained
• Cover any ponds or pools not being cleaned or used
• Ensure the garden is well maintained

Fire safety

We make sure your home is inspected for fire safety, but there are a few things you can do to make sure you’re safe, and if there is a fire you have the best chance of escaping. Find out more information about fire safety.