Keeping you safe in your home

This page shows the range of things we do to help maintain and keep your home safe.

Gas servicing

We are responsible by law to make sure that all our gas appliances in your home have an annual gas safety check.

You can read more on our gas servicing web page.

Asbestos

Asbestos was used in building materials until the mid-1990s but as long as it remains undamaged in the building it is safe.

Structural damage to your home might expose asbestos so you must report any damage to us. 

You must not carry out structural alterations or improvements to your home, other than cleaning and basic decoration, unless we have given you permission.

For more advice about asbestos, please contact us.

Preventing pests in your home

From time to time your home, garden or the area you share with neighbours could get infested with pests, but this can often be easily prevented.  In most cases, it is your responsibility to deal with a pest problem in your home or garden. 

Read more about how you can prevent pests in your home.

Water hygiene

Legionella bacteria is commonly found in water, but high levels can cause Legionnaires’ disease – a lung infection which you can get from inhaling droplets of water.

You can download our leaflet about Legionnaires’ disease. 

This leaflet tells you about the risks of contracting Legionnaires’ disease, and gives you some simple tips to help you safely prevent it.

Gas leaks

If you smell gas, think you have a gas leak or are worried that fumes containing carbon monoxide are escaping from one of your gas appliances, please call Northern Gas Networks on the national emergency Freephone line 0800 111 999.

If you do smell gas in your home:

  • turn off your gas supply at the meter
  • open all doors and windows to ventilate the property
  • do not switch on/off any electrical switches
  • extinguish all naked flames, do not smoke, strike matches or do anything that could cause gas to be ignited
  • if you have any electrical security entry phones or locks, please open the door manually
  • do not smoke
  • call Northern Gas Networks from outside your home.

Electrics 

Your electricity can cut out due to a number of problems:

  • lightbulbs blowing
  • faulty or misused appliances/leads
  • too many appliances being used at the same time
  • an overloaded circuit
  • overfilled kettles
  • unclean toasters
  • worn out or cracked cooker rings
  • faulty immersion heaters.

You can switch the power back on at your electricity consumer unit, which is usually next to the meter. This will either contain trip switches or fuses. Depending on which you have, you will need to either reset a trip switch or change a fuse to restore your electricity.

Resetting a trip switch

Modern electric circuits are fitted with a circuit-breaker fuse system so if a fault occurs, it causes a trip switch to be activated and the circuit to be broken.

To switch your electricity back on again open the cover of your consumer unit. Check which switches have tripped to the ‘off’ position and which rooms (circuits) have been affected. Flick these switches back on to restore the power.

If the electricity keeps going off, identify which appliance is causing the problem by unplugging each one on the affected circuit. Switch the tripped switch to the ‘on’ position, and then plug in each appliance one by one until the electricity goes off again.

Leave this appliance unplugged and get it fixed by a qualified electrician or engineer.

After you go through this process and the electrics still don’t reset, please contact us.