A Guide for When Neighbours Are Causing You Issues with Fire Safety

Do you have neighbours who are causing you issues when it comes to the fire safety of your home or place of work?

How do you deal with this? How can you get to a successful and safe resolution to the problems?

Without actually seeing the problem, it is quite difficult for us to give some specific guidance on issues created by neighbours.

So we would always recommend a site visit to be able to see the problems first hand, which will then enable a detailed feedback report and provide support to a successful conclusion. There may even be a simple solution that can be made which is not obvious without the benefit of a fresh outside pair of eyes.

However, in the interim here are some key points that you may wish to consider to take forward…

1. Fire Risk Assessment

• This issue should be highlighted in your fire risk assessment, issues noted and also action taken to date.
• Detail exactly what the issues are, frequency of problem, and risk it presents to you in terms of fire (arson risk) and also blocked fire escape route.
• Ensure that persons within your location are aware of the issues and what the contingency plans are in the event of a safety-related issue within your premises.

2. Keep a diary / log of the issues and correspondence – ideally with photographic evidence.

3. If the problem affects your escape route, then it is vital that you implement a regime of daily checks to make sure that the area is checked, issues noted and record with any action taken.

4. Review your fire safety arrangements in relation to the risk…

• What would be the impact of a fire from this issue?
• Try to establish the consequences and also if there are any controls or additional fire protection you can put in place until the matter is resolved.

5. Establish the responsible persons for the location causing the issue…

• Arrange to have a meeting with them and discuss and agree action required.
• Is it privately or council owned?

6. If you are getting nowhere, then first report the issues of fly tipping to the council (daily if needed).

7. Also suggest engaging with the local fire station…

• explain the issue and ask them to pop in and have a look, as they will be the ones who will have to deal with it in an emergency situation.
• They may well then go and knock on the door of the person causing the issue!