The security franchise recently shared a blog on the Jackson Fire website delivering advice to landlords about the use of portable heaters in their properties.
According to Jackson Fire and Security’s considerable expertise, these heaters pose a fire risk. Due to this risk, in the words of the security franchise, “A recent campaign has been launched by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service to raise awareness and encourage the safe use of heaters around the home. And this is an issue that’s every bit as applicable to the private rented housing sector as it is to domestic homeowners.”
The ‘Stay warm safely this winter’ campaign was launched in January “in response to the fact that there have been 150 fires in Greater Manchester over the past three years that were caused by portable heaters and fireplaces”. Though the campaign is based in Manchester, the problem isn’t confined to this area. In fact, “London Fire Brigade cites figures showing that in a five-year period, 819 fires were caused by electrical heaters. Heaters were involved in a third of electrical fires that resulted in a fatality.”
The need to emphasise fire-safe practices around the use of portable heaters is increasingly crucial as energy costs rise. Tenants “might try to reduce costs by cutting back on the number of rooms they’re heating or turning the thermostat down low and instead opting to use a portable heater in the room where they’re spending most of their time”. That said, Jackson Fire wouldn’t necessarily advise the banning of portable heater use. This decision “needs to be considered carefully”.
The franchise said, “As the landlord, you must ensure the property can be kept warm: to minimum temperatures of 18°C in bedrooms and 21°C in living rooms when the temperature is minus one outside. You must be confident that the heating system you do provide is sufficiently effective and reliable, making sure it’s well maintained and quickly responding if there’s a problem with it. Otherwise, tenants might feel they have no choice [than portable heaters].”
The best idea, according to Jackson Fire and Security, is to agree on some safe use rules with tenants, e.g., not putting them too close to combustible items, not drying clothes on them, using heaters in good working order. Find out more about this informative, happy-to-advise security franchise via Jackson Fire and Security’s profile page on Point Franchise, which you’ll discover linked above.
Lily Sweeney, Point Franchise ©
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