These pages were last updated on 17 November 2021

 

Recent updates:

8 November 2021

This afternoon, we have been informed by EVML that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (formerly MHCLG) has confirmed that Burgundy House is eligible for the Building Safety Fund.

Although this does not mean that funding is guaranteed, and EVML still has to undergo a rigorous process to secure the funding, it is a significant step forwards, and I hope the news will alleviate some anxiety.

EVML has already undertaken a significant amount of the work required for the next stage, and will prioritise providing the BSF with the detail they require and any necessary liaison.

We will continue to keep you updated as to the further progress of the application as it moves through the government process.

Useful information

Read more below.

This page was last updated 10 May 2021

Fire Safety Guide for residents of Burgundy House

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. The evacuation point for your building is located at the corner of Liberty Bridge Road and Leyton Road. Please familiarise yourself with this location. 

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  

The evacuation of an entire building will take place upon the activation of any heat detector within the building. 

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 12 May 2021

Triathlon Homes has residents in one block of N13 - Burgundy House

Burgundy House is above 18m in height. The building was completed in 2012, and met all building and fire safety regulations at the time it was built.

In 2019, changes were made to building regulations. As a result, building management teams across the country must now make sure all buildings are compliant with these new regulations.

Investigations on Burgundy House identified some areas where work is required in order to meet the updated building regulations.

What steps have been taken at Burgundy House?


1. Completion of preliminary investigations on the building

EVML's experts have completed preliminary investigations into the building materials used within the blocks, and we have received the engineer’s  preliminary findings.

2. Reviewed the preliminary findings

The investigations unfortunately revealed that EVML needed to carry out some remedial work to Burgundy House to ensure that they comply with the government’s guidelines and can receive an EWS1 form at a B1 rating.

The preliminary investigation of Burgundy House identified imperfections of fit of the fire barriers due to gaps between barriers and the external wall cladding. 

3. Consulted on and implemented fire-engineered solutions

EVML consulted with its fire risk assessors and the fire authority partners, and concluded that a new heat detection system was required within all homes. This was installed in April 2021, and is now fully operational. This allowed the 24-hour patrol ("Waking Watch") to be stood down on Friday 9 April. 

4. Ensured that applications are made for all available government funding

A initial application has been made to the Building Safety Fund via EVML and we are waiting to hear about the success of this application. EVML is managing this process, and we will communicate updates to residents as soon as we have them.

What are you doing to ensure residents are safe?

Throughout this process, EVML has taken advice from the fire brigade and their fire safety engineers to make sure that your homes have always had the right additional precautions in place to ensure your safety in the event of a need to evacuate the buildings.

Now that the alarm system is fully fitted, the fire engineers have stated that no additional interim safety measures are required, and there is no immediate risk to residents or their properties. 
 
All our fire alarms are monitored 24/7 by trained staff in the on-site control room. 

What happens next?

EVML has commissioned an engineer and designer to produce a fully costed specification that we can submit to the MHCLG Building Safety Fund ahead of the 30 June 2021 deadline.

We will be communicating with you regularly about progress - please make sure we have your most up to date email address so that we can send you updates, particularly if you are a non-resident landlord.

We will keep this microsite updated with information as this becomes available.
 

This page was last updated 2 August 2021.

Fire Risk Assessments

2021 FRA for Burgundy House (9 MB)

EWS1

An EWS1 for Burgundy House is not yet available.

Section 20 Documents

12 May 2021 N13 Notice of Intention to carry out works (143 KB)

This page was last updated 13 July 2021

Are we safe? 

We would like to reassure you that you are safe. EVML are in regular contact with the local fire service, and have taken all their advice and suggested measures to mitigate any risk to you and your neighbours. 

What is the EWS1 form for? 

The government issued guidance about external wall safety throughout 2018 and 2019. It established the need to inspect the external wall systems for fire safety.

The EWS1 form (or certificate) was developed by lenders with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors to document the outcome of an assessment of the external wall construction of tall buildings.

Getting the information required to complete this form often requires significant intrusive testing of the fabric of the building. This is because to comply with current government safety guidelines, building owners cannot rely on the fact a building received Building Control sign off at the time it was built. 

Many mortgage lenders will look at the EWS1 rating of a building in their decisions of whether to issue a mortgage on a property. 

Can residents have a copy of the EWS1? 

For Burgundy House, the EWS1 will record that the building needs remedial work.

Residents should be aware that an EWS1 form/certificate has not yet been issued for the building and so we cannot yet supply this to residents. Once it has been issued by the assessors, we will ensure it is available for our residents. 

What happens next? 

EVML has commissioned an engineer and design team to produce a fully costed specification that we can submit to the MHCLG Building Safety Fund and to prepare for the necessary remedial work.

We’ll keep you informed of progress.

Will leaseholders be charged for the costs of the building safety work? 

We will do all we can to protect leaseholders from these costs.   

EVML has registered Burgundy House for the government’s Building Safety Fund and the Waking Watch Relief Fund. We are waiting for news on each and will let you know as soon as we hear.

The purpose of the Waking Watch Relief Fund is to cover the costs for installing the common alarm system which will allowed us to remove the requirement for a Waking Watch.

At this stage we do not know the  timescales for review. EVML meet regularly with the MHCLG to progress the application process and to discuss the technical issues with them.