Curo News

Facebook LIVE Feb26 recording

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:06:09 Z

Thanks to everyone that joined us at the Facebook Live session on 18 February. It was great to host one of these lively interactive sessions again and we were really pleased with the number of customers getting involved with questions and comments. Please join us again for our next Facebook LIVE in April.

In the hot seat this time was Chief Operating Officer, Julie Evans, and our Director of Property Safety & Compliance, Tom Battersby.

Catch up with the session below - topics covered include:

The length of notice Curo must give to tenants before visiting your home
Fire safety and safety audits, including advice for flats
Downsizing to a smaller home
Pest control
Sinking funds
Curo’s plans for its garage sites.

Social housing regulator shares Curo inspection judgement

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 11:15:28 Z

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has today published its latest assessment of Curo

Its judgement is based on an inspection carried out over several months earlier this year. The RSH looked at all aspects of the organisation and the services we provide to customers.

The report provides a rigorous and independent overview of our strengths and areas for improvement. Click here to read the report on the government’s website.

The RSH gives social housing providers a grade in three categories. Grades can range from one to four, with one being the best. Curo’s grades are:

Governance: 1
Financial Viability: 2
Consumer Standards: 1

Curo’s Chief Executive, Victor da Cunha, said:

“We’re in year one of a 10-year plan, developed in partnership with customers to move Curo forward and strengthen our services. This judgement shows we’re on the right track and I’m hugely grateful to everyone who’s helped to get us here. It’s really encouraging, but for me it’s only going to be truly meaningful if we build on it, continue to improve the quality of our homes and bring about real improvements for our residents.”

Celebrating a fire safety milestone

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 09:36:05 Z

Your safety is our priority and every year we invest around £6million into fire safety work in our homes.

Part of the work that we’ve been carrying out over the last five years has been our fire safety cavity barrier project.

Cavity barriers sit in roof spaces to stop fire from being able to spread. Since 2000 it’s been a legal requirement for all new-build homes to have these installed, but unfortunately many developers didn’t put them correctly.

We’ve been working with expert construction consultants Taylor Lewis to check all our homes built since 2000 have the fire protection that’s needed to help keep you safe.

Taylor Lewis’ Passive Fire Protection Surveyors recently completed their 10,000^th inspection – which took place at Curo’s Greenacre Court in Midsomer Norton.

To mark the occasion, members of Curo’s Fire Safety Team who have been working on the project, and Taylor Lewis’ Building Safety Team, held a coffee morning for residents, with a special celebratory cake, and bunches of daffodils for our customers.

Speaking to the Greenacres residents, Matt Steggles, Head of Building Safety at Taylor Lewis, said, “Building safety is so often overlooked as a boring, box-ticking exercise, but events of the last few years have really changed that.

“Now residents see the link that we as property professionals have always known, that safety and being happy in your home go hand in hand.

“Taylor Lewis is proud to have contributed in some small way to resident happiness”.

Dawn Adams, Fire Safety Project Officer at Curo said, “The safety of our customers is always a priority, and the cavity barrier project is an important part of our fire safety work.

“We appreciate and value the knowledge and support of the Taylor Lewis Building Safety Team who have played an important part in helping us to deliver this project.”

For more information about fire safety, visit our Fire Safety web page.

Stay safe this Christmas

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 09:34:32 Z

Christmas is a time for celebration, but fairy lights, trees, candles, and even cooking, can be potential hazards if you’re not careful.

Here’s a few tips to help make sure you and your family stay safe this Christmas.

Fairy lights

Before putting up your lights check them for any damage, including the lights, plug and connections. It’s also a good idea to check that they have the right fuse fitted. The box should tell you the maximum size of the fuse.

If you find any broken wires or bulbs, don’t use them — recycle them responsibly instead.

It’s especially important to check for damage if have older style lights (240V mains powered lights). Blown bulbs not only increase the risk of electric shocks but also cause other bulbs to overheat, making them dangerous near flammable materials such as Christmas trees and decorations.

If you're still using older lights, make sure you replace blown bulbs immediately and always turn the power off before changing them.

Low-voltage LED fairy lights are safer, more energy-efficient, and longer-lasting. LED lights remain cool to the touch, are less likely to break, and significantly reduce fire risks. They are safe to use around Christmas trees, fabrics, and children, making them an ideal choice for your home decorations. Plus, they use 90 per cent less electricity than the old-style lights which will help keep energy costs down.

Always turn your lights off when you go out, and before you go to bed.

When buying new lights, check that they have the British Standard Safety sign.

Wire, cables and plugs

LED lights are safer, but not entirely without risk. The transformer can get warm, so make sure you put it somewhere where air can circulate around it rather than near or under carpets or furniture that might trap the heat and make it more likely to overheat.

When plugging in your lights, don’t overload the sockets by using too many extension cables or multi-socket adapters. If you are using an extension cable make sure it’s fully extended or unravelled to avoid overheating, and don’t plug on into another.

Avoid trailing cables across the floor as they could be a trip hazard.

Outdoor lights

If you’re putting up lights outside, consider using an RCD (Residual Current Device). These can be bought online or from DIY stores, and will automatically cut off the electricity if there’s a fault.

Candles

Never put candles near your Christmas tree, or anything that could catch alight easily such as Christmas cards or homemade decorations.

Make sure any candles are fully out before you go to bed, and never leave a burning candle unattended.

Keep candles and lighters out of reach of children.

Smoke and heat detectors

Your detectors will be checked as part of your annual home safety check, but it’s a good idea to check them regularly yourself too. You can do this by pressing the test button on the alarm, which will sound if it’s working correctly.

If you think that yours aren’t working please let us know by calling 01225 366600 or by visiting MyCuro.

Going away this Christmas?

If you're going to be away from home over Christmas there's a few steps you can take to help keep your home safe and also save some money.

If you're going away overnight it's a good idea to turn off all non-essential appliances (things like TVs, games consoles, and even microwaves) at the plug.

Make sure you always turn off your fairy lights and any other decorations whenever you go out - even if you're only planning to be away from home for a short time.

You should also make sure that you've closed all the doors in your home. This will help contain heat if you have the heating on, and it can also help slow the spread of a fire if one breaks out while you're out. Always make sure that any fire doors are closed when not in use and don't have any damage.

Find out more

For more information about fire safety in your home visit our fire safety web pages.

There’s more advice on fire safety at Christmas on the government website and on the Fire Service website.

Fire training at Berkeley House

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 16:41:19 Z

There were dramatic scenes at Berkeley House in Bath on Friday, 6 September.

Fire officers from Avon Fire and Rescue Service descended on the Snow Hill block of flats, with two fire engines outside, a ladder reaching almost to the top of the building, and smoke filling a flat on the highest floor.

There was no need for alarm, however, as it was a planned training exercise to ensure that in the event of a real emergency the fire service will be able to respond swiftly and effectively to keep our customers safe.

The fire officers tested how high they could get the ladder, and then used the hose to see how much coverage of the building they could get with the water, and confirmed that they could reach all floors on that side of the building.

An empty flat on the eighth floor was filled with synthetic smoke and a dummy casualty was hidden in the bedroom so the fire officers could simulate a real life rescue. The smoke machine was left running for 30 minutes to check that the fire doors were effective at containing smoke.

Matt Bryant, Curo’s Fire Safety Team Leader Community Services, said: “The safety of our customers is our priority, and we are always very happy to work with Avon Fire and Rescue Service, to allow them to carry out training in our properties.

“Using the simulated smoke allowed us to test how the fire doors are working, and it was great to see how well the flat door prevented the smoke from reaching the communal areas.”

“Opening the door for just 90 seconds filled the area with smoke and the visibility was almost zero. In a real fire this smoke would be thick, black smoke and it would almost certainly be toxic. This really highlights the importance of keeping communal areas clear.

“In a situation like this, when you can’t see, the only way to get around is to use the wall as a guide. Any items left in the communal areas become a potential obstacle that could prevent a safe escape.

“It also highlights the importance of keeping communal areas clear. These areas are often escape routes, so if an item in a communal area caught fire, could mean the whole area filling with smoke, making it difficult and dangerous to get out.”

Bath Fire Station, Watch Manager - Rich Wheeler said, “Training in real buildings is essential within the work we carry out. It means that our crews are familiar with the environment and their surroundings in the case of a real fire. It also highlights any learnings we may need to have that can save us time in real life emergencies. Being able to work with organisations such as Curo is always a pleasure as it is clear they are committed to offering a high standard of safety for their residents.”

In the last year, we invested more than £8m in fire safety measures across its properties.