Homes & Gardens

As summer approaches, Devon & Somerset & Fire & Rescue Service as part of the Fire Kills campaign, are asking people to make sure their family, guests and loved ones know how to get out, stay out, and call 999 in the event of a fire.

A smoke alarm can give you the warning you need to get out of your home in a fire, but a blocked exit, locked door or unfamiliar surroundings can often shave vital seconds from the escape time, exposing you to the fatal dangers of toxic smoke.

Some simple steps and a clear escape plan in the event of a fire will help ensure that...

A study by TopCashback.co.uk, released today, reveals barbecues are burning a hole in resident’s pockets. Between hosting and attending barbecues during the summer months, residents in the South West will spend an average of £520 on everything from burger buns to corn on the cob.

On average, the majority of residents in the South West will host four barbecues throughout the summer, spending £100 on each. They will also attend four, spending £30 on food, drink and gifts to take with them each time. A surprising 18 per cent of residents will spend up to £300 on hosting a barbecue for...

Landlords in Devon and Somerset are being urged to act now to ensure they are ready for new safety laws aimed at saving dozens of lives a year.

The regulations make it compulsory for all landlords to fit smoke alarms in rented homes and are expected to come into effect from October 2015, subject to Parliamentary approval.

Under the new laws smoke alarms must be fitted on every floor of the property as well as carbon monoxide alarms in properties which burn solid fuels. Landlords must check the alarms are working at the start of every new tenancy with potential penalties of...

Alarming new figures from housing charity Shelter have revealed almost 500 people in the South West were put at risk of losing their home every week in the last year. In an analysis of statistics from the Ministry of Justice, the charity identified how many people are at risk of eviction and repossession as well as the ‘home threat hotspots’ across the South West where people are most likely to face the risk of losing their home. Gloucester topped the list in the South West, with as many as 1 in every 115 homes under threat of eviction or repossession, followed by Bournemouth (1 in 119),...