Safety & Compliance
As a social landlord we are committed to providing safe, energy efficient and comfortable homes. We have a responsibility to make sure your home is safe, healthy and free from things that could cause serious harm.
Darlington Borough Council takes a proactive approach to ensuring customers remain safe in their homes. We ensure that we have robust policies and procedures in place to cover our health and safety responsibilities as landlords.
We employ specialised and competent contractors where needed, to undertake a wide range of annual and regular servicing to ensure the safe operation of equipment.
Our compliance performance is reported to the Health & Housing Scrutiny Committee annually. View the Health And Safety Compliance 2024 / 2025 report [pdf document]. We also report other types of housing performance.
We also report internally on a quarterly basis. The latest reports are below:
Keeping you safe within your home is a key priority for us.
We have a dedicated Compliance Team who work closely with the surveying team, repairs and maintenance colleagues, contractors and other housing staff. Together, we ensure all necessary checks, services, inspections and safety functions are in place and we meet our legal obligations as landlords.
For our dedicated page on Fire Safety, please click here.
All our buildings with communal spaces will have Fire Risk Assessments completed on an annual basis.
All buildings will have fire detection systems installed within the communal areas and, where appropriate, emergency lighting.
Each flat, which is accessed by a communal entrance, will also have smoke and heat detectors within the property.
All of our buildings will have heat and smoke detectors in the kitchens, in the entrance hallway, and on each landing.
We must complete a gas safety check once a year for all homes with a gas meter or gas supply. This ensure that we are able to keep you and those that live with you safe from gas or carbon monoxide leaks.
For Gas Safety information, please click here.
We check all electrical wiring before you move into your home and test the electrical installation every five years to ensure its safety.
For Electrical Safety information, please click here.
There is a risk of bacteria, such as Legionella, growing in your water system, but you can do things to reduce the risk.
For Water Hygiene information, please click here.
Asbestos can be dangerous if moved or damaged. You must contact your Housing Officer before you do any DIY in your home.
For Asbestos information, please click here.
We service lifts within our communal spaces either every three months or every month, depending on the lift. We service lifts within a person's home at least every 12 months.
How to contact us
There are several ways you can contact us:
- Using your Darlington Home Online account. Register for a Darlington Home Online account [external link] or log in to your account [external link]. More information on your Darlington Home Online account.
- Emailing [email protected]
- Calling us on 01325 405333
Any emergency repairs can be reported to 01325 405333 24/7 365 days a year.
What if I am not satisfied with the response?
We hope that we can work together with our residents and listen to their voices and resolve any problems, but if you are unhappy with the response from the Housing team we have a complaints procedure you can follow and you can contact our Complaints Team by:
- using their online complaints form
- emailing: [email protected]
- calling the Complaints team on 01325 406777