Fire safety - high rise

Southampton City Council has a total of 21 high rise buildings. These now fall under the Building Safety Act 2022, which is a direct result of Dame Judith Hacket Report for Building a Safer Future – Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: Final Report which resulted from the tragic events at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017.

In compliance with the Building Safety Act 2022, there needs to be special fire safety and structural provisions for buildings which are set at 18m or seven floors.

If you have a safety concern about one of our high rise buildings, please report a concern.

Relevant legislation and updates

Southampton City Council is committed to full compliance with legislation which governs fire safety.

These regulations include:

Compliance with the Building Safety Act 2022

The following is to be completed:

  • Provide building safety case for each high rise building
  • Ensure the structure of the building is sound and will not promote fire spread or cause a structural collapse
  • Provide a golden thread of information cycle for the building

You can find an explanatory document at Understanding Your Building Safety Case, as well as on our fire safety in your home document and our fire safety guidance.

The main point of the Building Safety Case is as follows:

What is a Building Safety Case? SHOW


Why we need a Building Safety Case SHOW


Who checks the Building Safety Case? SHOW


Looking at the structure SHOW


Checking internal areas SHOW


Engaging with residents SHOW


Building maintenance and golden thread of information SHOW


Questions about fire safety, evacuation procedures and inspections

We are currently visiting all buildings to provide the residents with fire safety information. This includes:

  • A summary of a fire risk assessment which details what has been identified as a risk to what the council is doing to mitigate to keep residents safe
  • Evacuation procedures and fire door information

The residents engagement strategy has also been updated to reflect the procedures for high rise buildings:

Has the council reviewed its fire evacuation procedures, and building fire risk assessments (FRAs) in the wake of the Grenfell Towers tragedy? SHOW


How often are council housing properties inspected for their fire safety? SHOW


My lifts don’t work and I am elderly/disabled. How do I evacuate in case of fire if I cannot go down stairs? SHOW


Why don’t we have any fire evacuation signs or smoke alarms in the communal area? What fire safety measures are already installed in housing properties? SHOW


Why do some tower blocks only have one evacuation staircase? SHOW


Why don’t we hear the fire alarms in our property? SHOW


Other fire safety concerns

Should I be concerned about leaky or draughty windows in our building compromising its ability to contain a fire? SHOW


My tower block has gas cookers. Should I be concerned about them as a fire hazard? SHOW


What can I do about fire safety in my building? SHOW


Fire safety in flats

You can also take extra care when cooking to ensure that pans are not left unattended. Double-check that you have turned the heat off and taken the pan off the heat when you have finished cooking.

For more information about fire safety in high-rise accommodations, please visit the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service’s High Rise Living page.

Southampton residents can play their role in helping to keep their family and neighbours safe by completing Safe and Sound, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service's personalised home fire safety checker.

You can find more fire safety advice on our general FAQs page.

Fire prevention

The best way to control fire is to prevent one in the first place. You can find government advice, as well as information on e-bikes and e-scooters, on our fire prevention page.