Balcony safety in your council home

Learn about our commitment to balcony safety and your role in keeping a secure environment at your council home.

What we do to keep you safe on your personal balcony

Your safety is our priority. When a property becomes empty and before we re-let it to new residents, we:

• carry out a visual inspection of the balcony to clear anything that has been left on it
• check that it is in a safe condition and if any repairs are required

Once you are living in the property, if you are concerned about:

• the safety of your balcony railings or panels 
• a faulty lock on the access door onto the balcony 

Contact the Repairs Service on 020 7974 4444  and report an emergency repair. We will then arrange to visit you, carry out a survey and order any materials for the repair within 24 hours. 

We may make a temporary repair to make your home safe and secure. If we find there is a serious problem, we will lock the door onto balcony until repairs are complete and it is safe for you to use it again.

What you can do to use your personal balcony safely

Children and vulnerable people are at higher risk of falling from a balcony if they are not watched. Always supervise them when they are out on the balcony and make sure that that they can’t use toys or possessions left on it to lean over or climb onto the balcony edge.

If pigeon netting has been installed on your balcony it cannot be treated as a climbing frame or play equipment. 

Never:

• store things on your balcony, especially anything that can catch fire
• have a barbecue on your balcony
• throw cigarettes from your balcony or windows.