These pages were last updated on 17 February 2022

 

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This page was last updated 10 May 2021

FIRE SAFETY GUIDE FOR RESIDENTS – EAST VILLAGE 

IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE IN YOUR APARTMENT  

In the event of a fire or the activation of the fire alarm sounders within your apartment, you should evacuate immediately, making sure you close the door behind you to prevent the spread of fire.  

As soon as you are out of your apartment, evacuate via the nearest fire exit route as indicated by the ‘green running person’ signs.

Contact the emergency services on 999 and the Estate Management Company Security Control Room on 020 8221 7013 as soon as possible once you are safe.  

Please familiarise yourself with the nearest fire exit point to your apartment.  
  
IN THE EVENT YOU SEE A FIRE OR HEAR A FIRE ALARM IN THE COMMON AREAS  

If you witness a fire or hear a fire alarm in a common area you should evacuate the building immediately.  

You should not attempt to evacuate any other residents from their apartments.  
  
EVACUATION OF A BUILDING  

Evacuation of an entire building will be under the strict instruction of the fire service. 

If you have mobility problems, please contact us to discuss a personal evacuation plan developed to meet your evacuation needs.   
  
SMOKE DETECTORS  

The smoke detectors fitted inside the apartments are mains powered with a battery back-up to ensure continued use in the event of a power failure.  You should check this on a regular basis and ensure that the back up batteries are changed regularly. Full details for testing and maintenance of your smoke detector can be found within your resident’s handbook.  

Do not tamper with or disconnect smoke alarms, they are fitted for the safety of you and your neighbours.  
  
FIRE DOORS  

The front door to your apartment is a fire door. Dependent on the layout of your apartment, some of the internal doors will also be fire rated, as required by building regulations. 

Some doors are fitted with automatic closers, fitted for the protection of residents and the buildings.  Please do not remove the automatic door closers or keep doors wedged open.   
  
FIRE PROTECTION – Please always observe the following precautions  

Make sure the smoke alarm in your home is working and is regularly tested. All alarms in common areas are tested by Team East Village weekly.  

Do not use heaters in your home with a flame or heaters which are fuelled by gas, paraffin or have electric bars. Only use the heating system installed in your home.  

Do not obstruct consumer units, controls or isolating switches inside electrical cupboards.  

Do not prop open doors within your apartment or remove self-closing devices.  

Do not use or store barbeques or any flame heaters on your balcony. Balconies should be kept free of any combustible materials, including paper, cardboard, or dry wood. 
  
SPRINKLERS  

Do not block or paint any sprinklers within your home.  
  
CALLING THE FIRE BRIGADE   

To prevent the spread of fire and to save life, upon identifying a fire and once you are in a place of safety, you should call the fire brigade on 999 and the Team East Village Security Control Room on 020 8221 7013 to report the fire.  

This page was last updated on 17 February 2022

Triathlon Homes has residents in four blocks in N07 - Merle Mansions, Calla House, Kotata House and Tayberry House.

The blocks are above 18m in height. The buildings were completed in 2012, and were certified as meeting all building and fire safety regulations at the time they were built.

In 2019, the government produced new guidance to check the safety of the external wall systems in tall buildings. As a result, building management teams across the country must now make sure all tall buildings are compliant with the guidance and safety defects are addressed.

What steps have been taken at N07?

1. The building work to remove the ACM panels is now complete and EVML has received the completion certificates giving assurance about the quality of the work. EVML is now working with the Greater London Authority to approve the final account. Once this is done, we’ll update you to confirm the amount of grant received and any balance. All of the work on your block was eligible for funding and we are not expecting a shortfall although this has not yet been confirmed.  

2. Government funding for the removal and replacement of the ACM material has been confirmed by the MHCLG.

Over recent weeks, you may have seen EVML’s contractor, Arkle, and the fire risk assessor undertaking some investigations in your building. This was for a Type 2 Fire Risk Assessment. This assessment provides more detail to assess whether the fire breaks in the stair core areas are well constructed. The focus has been on any external walls to the stair core. The Fire Risk Assessors are not able to approve the proposed mitigating measures without certainty that the escape routes have adequate protection. 

These investigations have now finished. EVML will pass the outcome of the assessment to the fire engineers so they can be specific about the exact mitigating measures required in your building, and/or whether remedial work will need to be undertaken. EVML expect to receive the engineer’s report and findings by the end of March 2022. As soon as we have any further information about the findings, and what this means for you, we will let you know. 

What issues were found within these buildings?

You can read about the Fire Engineer's preliminary findings for Kotata House and Tayberry House. (76 KB) 

What happens next?

1. We will update residents regarding the findings of the Type 2 FRA in the Spring.

2. EVML is already preparing for the findings of the reports with a view to start a tender process for the work recommended by the fire engineers.  The works to your building are likely to form part of a wider contract across a number of plots. EVML wants to ensure there is a focus on higher risk areas as well as managing any programme so it delivers cost efficiency. The potential work required includes measures to ensure escape routes are adequately protected, and installation of smoke detectors in your home. The exact requirement will be specified by the fire engineer and we’ll circulate this information to you when we have it. 

This page was last updated on 13 July 2021

 

What are you doing to ensure residents are safe?

We have taken advice from fire engineers and the London Fire Brigade, and have been told that we have all the appropriate measures in place to ensure that residents remain safe at all times.

Why is this process taking so long?

We appreciate that this has been a long process for you and your neighbours. Once EVML understood the buildings in the plot contained ACM material, they acted to ensure that all that material was removed quickly. This work was completed in December 2020.

Since then, we have been working to co-ordinate the work required in order to restore new panelling to the buildings in a safe and speedy manner. The work has now begun and will be completed this winter.

Separately, EVML inspected other areas of the external walls and found some defects not related to the ACM. The programme to inspect the blocks across East Village was technically complex; in particular, there were some difficulties getting behind the concrete panels in your plot.

EVML are working with the fire engineers to resolve the issues. They require careful considerations by suitably qualified professionals and we hope to have an update from a new fire engineers assessment in July.

Can I stay in my home during the repanelling work? 

The ACM remediation works does not require you to move out.

We may need access to some homes where there is lighting on the affected balconies. We’ll contact you to arrange a suitable appointment.

Who is paying for this work?

We were informed in April 2021 that the MHCLG had approved the EVML application for the ACM Remediation Fund. This means that the work that was undertaken in October 2021 to remove the ACM material, and the work to install new panelling will be covered by government funds.

It is possible that additional work will be required once the work starts so we are unable to give you an exact indication of the likely costs. If more work is required, we will, of course, seek to obtain funding for this work where we can. As soon as we have some more information, we will give you an indication of the cost.

I’m trying to sell or remortgage my home – how will this impact on that?

Leaseholders looking to sell, staircase or remortgage may be asked by their lender or potential buyer for a copy of the EWS1 form. We do not currently have these for Kotata House or Tayberry House.

We are waiting for additional information about mitigating measures (such as smoke alarms) to enable the blocks to pass without the need for remedial work.

Further evaluation is being undertaken by the fire engineers. We are currently waiting for feedback and this will inform the scope of any work and/or mitigating measures to address the issues in the external wall system. As soon as we hear, we will let you know.

What is the latest RICS EWS1 guidance for these buildings?

As all of the blocks in N07 are over 18m, they are not affected by recent changes to RICS guidance. They still require an EWS1 form.

How can I find out more?

We'll be updating these pages whenever there is new information. 

This page was last updated 2 August 2021


Fire Risk Assessments

 

EWS1

An EWS1 form is not currently available for Kotata House and Tayberry House. Once replacement panelling work is completed (estimated December 2021), a B1 rating should become available.

 

Section 20 consultation docs