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    <title>Curo News</title>
    <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/</link>
    <description />
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">23754</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/home-condition-surveys-on-mycuro/</link>
      <category>news</category>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <title>Home Condition Surveys on MyCuro</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Every five years, we carry out &lt;a href="/residents/improving-your-home/home-condition-surveys/"&gt;Home Condition Surveys&lt;/a&gt; in our homes. These surveys look at the overall condition of your home, and major fixtures and fittings, and help us make sure that we’re improving and investing in your home at the right time.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;&lt;img src="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/media/z2epe4d1/hcs-screen-grab.png?rmode=max&amp;amp;width=750" alt="Home Condition Survey" width="750" height="488.6578449905482" data-udi="umb://media/78f208c9c07b47b690d936c4ec516054"&gt;&lt;/img&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Between these surveys, which will be carried out by Curo colleagues, you can now submit a survey yourself through MyCuro. You can do this if you haven’t had a Home Condition Survey for two years or more, or if you think that the condition of your home has changed. This won't replace the survey carried out by us, but it will help us understand if we need to carry out any improvements sooner than we had planned. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you're not sure when you're due to have a new kitchen or bathroom, you can find out on MyCuro.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_7kw2lpNB4k?si=sJcxFlm9kQnUxkBb" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You’ll be asked to take and upload pictures of various parts of your home, including the kitchen, bathrooms, windows, front and back doors, the boiler or electric heating system, radiators, and the front and back of the building.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We’ll then look at the information you’ve provided, and if we think that we need to bring forward the dates of your planned replacements then we’ll update it on MyCuro within 10 working days.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Any repairs, or issues such as damp and mould should be logged in the usual way, through MyCuro, &lt;a href="/contact-us/do-it-online/"&gt;online&lt;/a&gt;,  or call our Customer Contact Team on 01225 366000.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:54:30 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2024-09-09T15:54:30Z</a10:updated>
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    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">22433</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/ideal-heating-boiler-safety-notice/</link>
      <category>Safety</category>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Ideal Heating boiler safety notice</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Ideal Heating has found a potential safety issue with some boilers manufactured between August 2022 and January 2024.&lt;br /&gt;This may affect some of our customers, but Ideal Heating has advised that boilers should continue to be used.&lt;br /&gt;You can check if your boiler may be affected on the&lt;a rel="noopener" href="https://www.idealsupport.co.uk/" target="_blank"&gt; Ideal Heating support page&lt;/a&gt;, and there is more information about the issue available on their &lt;a rel="noopener" href="https://idealheating.com/blog/important-customer-safety-notice" target="_blank"&gt;website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;If your boiler is affected please contact Ideal Heating directly as we will not be able to fit any additional parts on their behalf.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 22 Feb 2024 14:38:51 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2024-02-22T14:38:51Z</a10:updated>
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    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">21955</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/building-safety-resident-engagement-strategy/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;After consulting with our residents, we've published our &lt;strong&gt;Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy for higher-risk buildings.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/media/4a1pawe1/hrrb-one-page-summary-nov-24.pdf" title="HRRB One Page Summary Nov 24"&gt;In a hurry? Here's a one-page visual summary.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can find the full Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy for each building here:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/media/pdbauhda/curo-hrrb-resident-engagement-strategy-berkeley-house.pdf" title="Resident Engagement Strategy Berkeley House"&gt;Berkeley House&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/media/f14oxdrq/curo-hrrb-resident-engagement-strategy-berkeley-house-nov-24.pdf" title="Curo HRRB Resident Engagement Strategy Berkeley House Nov 24"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/media/vavjikfu/curo-hrrb-resident-engagement-strategy-rosewell-court.pdf" title="Resident Engagement Strategy - Rosewell Court"&gt;Rosewell Court&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/media/fwfioln5/curo-hrrb-resident-engagement-strategy-ballance-street.pdf" title="Resident Engagement Strategy Ballance Street"&gt;Ballance Street&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/media/5amazdw2/curo-hrrb-resident-engagement-strategy-ballance-street-nov-24.pdf" title="Curo HRRB Resident Engagement Strategy Ballance Street Nov 24"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you would like this strategy in a different format, or need extra copies, please contact the Fire Safety Team by calling 01225 366600 or emailing&amp;nbsp; &lt;a href="mailto:firesafetyteam@curo-group.co.uk?subject=BuildingSafetyResidentEngagementStrategy"&gt;firesafetyteam@curo-group.co.uk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;What’s the purpose of this strategy?&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy says how we’ll make sure everyone living in our three tallest buildings is kept informed and able to participate in decision-making about the safety of their building.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It describes how we’ll involve you, listen to you and act on your suggestions and concerns to keep your home as safe as possible.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Why do we need this strategy?&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;At Curo, your safety is our highest priority. Following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 extensive reviews, recommendations and legislation have emphasised the need for better communication and engagement about safety with residents living in buildings like yours.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In particular, the Building Safety Act 2022 requires us produce a Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy for all residents and homeowners in our buildings defined under the Act as ‘higher risk residential buildings’ (at least 18 metres in height or have at least seven storeys). Your building is one of three buildings we own that meet this definition.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Oct 2023 14:50:00 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2023-10-25T14:50:00Z</a10:updated>
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    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">19439</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/gas-safety-week-2023-is-here/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Gas Safety Week 2023 is here!</title>
      <description>&lt;h2 class="exec_text"&gt;Gas Safety Week 2023 is here!&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;At Curo we're supporting Gas Safety Week 2023. We'll be sharing safety advice all week using the hashtag &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GSW23"&gt;#GSW23.&lt;/a&gt; Find out what you can do to stay safe with our top nine tips:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;1 Know the tell-tale signs of an unsafe appliance such as sooty stains, yellow lazy flames, boiler errors, uncommon noises and pilot lights frequently blowing out. If you suspect a problem, &lt;a data-id="1181" href="/contact-us/report-it/" title="Report it"&gt;report it to Curo.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2 Make sure you don’t block vents or attempt DIY gas work. If you need to carry out work on your Curo home, &lt;a data-id="9551" href="/residents/your-home/getting-consent-making-changes-to-your-home/" title="Getting consent &amp;amp; making changes to your home"&gt;check this page first.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;3 Look out for details of your annual Curo &lt;a data-id="3925" href="/residents/safety-at-home/home-safety-checks/" title="Home safety checks"&gt;home safety check&lt;/a&gt;. Our GasSafe engineers will check your gas appliances plus lots of other safety-critical parts of your home. Please keep your appointment for this free and essential safety check. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5z2NZbxzvPo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;4 Make sure you know how to run your gas heating as efficiently as possible this autumn: &lt;a data-id="1250" href="/residents/living-in-your-home/staying-warm/" title="Staying warm"&gt;check out our heating tips here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zS1a-RVbC8k" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;5 Carbon monoxide (CO) can be a deadly product of unsafe gas appliances. Know the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse, and loss of consciousness. &lt;a data-id="1280" href="/residents/safety-at-home/gas-safety/carbon-monoxide/" title="Carbon monoxide"&gt;Find out more about CO here.&lt;/a&gt; All Curo homes with gas appliances will have CO alarm - find out more about these, as well as heat and smoke alarms, in our fact sheet below:&lt;/p&gt;
      &lt;div class="links-download"&gt;
      &lt;a href="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/media/100004412/smoke-and-heat-alarms-fact-sheet-july-2023.pdf" title="Smoke and heat alarms - fact sheet July 2023"&gt;&lt;i class="fa-regular fa-file-pdf" aria-hidden="true"&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;Smoke and heat alarms - fact sheet July 2023&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;


&lt;p&gt;6 As a landlord, we have gas safety responsibilities: one of which is to provide a Landlords Gas Safety Record annually. We provide this as part of our annual home safety checks. &lt;a href="https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/gas-safety-certificates-records/gas-safety-record/"&gt;Find out more about Landlords Gas Safety Records on the Gas Safe website.&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;7 If you're a Curo leaseholder and you live in a block of flats, please &lt;a data-id="20531" href="/home-ownership-team/home-owners/leaseholder-safety-certificates/" title="Leaseholder safety certificates"&gt;send us your annual gas safety certificate&lt;/a&gt; so we know that gas appliances in your home are safe and aren't compromising the safety of other people in your building. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;8 Now's a good time to briefly &lt;a data-id="22062" href="/news/news-stories/autumn-heating-check/" title="Is your heating system ready for the autumn?"&gt;test your heating system before you really need it.&lt;/a&gt; That way we’ll have more time to fix any problems and make you’re your system’s running efficiently before the cold weather arrives. If things don’t seem right – &lt;a data-id="15058" href="/residents/your-home/repairs-servicing/curo-lifehacks-easy-repairs-you-can-diy/lifehacks-heating/" title="Lifehacks: Heating"&gt;try our heating lifehack tips first.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;9 If your gas boiler breaks down, our team of Gas Safe registered engineers are here for you. We always prioritise boiler repairs. Gas Safe registered engineers are qualified and competent to carry out gas work for you. Report it at &lt;a data-id="6323" href="/residents/mycuro-customer-portal/" title="MyCuro customer portal"&gt;MyCuro&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a data-id="1131" href="/contact-us/" title="Contact us"&gt;contact us here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;For more tips head to &lt;a href="http://GasSafetyWeek.co.uk"&gt;GasSafetyWeek.co.uk&lt;/a&gt; and look out for posts across social media with the hashtags #GSW23 #GasSafetyWeek&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 11 Sep 2023 08:00:00 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2023-09-11T08:00:00Z</a10:updated>
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    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">22009</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/fire-crews-complete-safety-training-exercise-at-bath-s-tallest-building/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Fire crews complete safety training exercise at Bath’s tallest building</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/media/100004386/berkeley-house-exercise-2.jpg?width=360&amp;amp;height=480" align="right" data-id="22012"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;On 15 June, crews from several Avon Fire &amp;amp; Rescue stations took part in a fire training exercise at Bath’s tallest building, the Curo-owned Berkeley House in Snow Hill, Bath.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;More than 20 fire fighters took part in the event where crews practised their response to a fire in a tall building and tested life-saving equipment at the block.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Colleagues from Curo’s fire safety teams were on hand throughout the evening to answer questions and talk to residents about building safety.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Curo’s Senior Property Safety Manager Tom Battersby said: “Safety is our number one priority and we work closely with Avon Fire &amp;amp; Rescue on training exercises like this one at Berkeley House so that we’re all as prepared as possible for a real emergency.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/media/100004385/berkeley-house-conversations.jpg?width=480&amp;amp;height=360" data-id="22011"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“I particularly want to thank Berkeley House residents who’ve done a great job at keeping the stairwells and corridors clear of fire hazards and obstacles.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;“While we were there we had some useful conversations with residents about building safety and were able to talk about what we’re doing as a landlord to keep people safe, and what residents can do too.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"It was great to see local children get involved too by having a go at operating a fire hose and giving the estate a good soaking!”&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/media/100004392/berkeley-house-trying-fire-hose.jpg?width=480&amp;amp;height=360" data-id="22017"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Thanks to everyone at Snow Hill for their patience and cooperation while this important safety exercise took place. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Curo owns three high-rise buildings in the region, with the 10-storey Berkeley House being the tallest. We have a rolling, multi-million pound programme of fire safety investments across all our blocks of flats and recently completed a major project at Berkeley House to renew all the fire doors across the building and ensure other fire stopping measures are in place to prevent smoke and fire from spreading.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We provide all residents living in blocks of flats with detailed &lt;a href="/residents/safety-at-home/fire-safety/" title="Fire safety" data-id="1276"&gt;information about fire safety&lt;/a&gt;. If you're worried about building safety, &lt;a href="/contact-us/" title="Contact us" data-id="1131"&gt;please contact us here&lt;/a&gt; or at firesafetyteam@curo-group.co.uk.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 21 Jun 2023 09:19:31 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2023-06-21T09:19:31Z</a10:updated>
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    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">6482</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/barbecue-safety-tips/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Barbecue safety tips</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Having a barbecue? Here are some simple safety tips we've put together with Avon Fire &amp;amp; Rescue.   &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ol&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Make sure the barbecue is strong, sturdy and in good working order.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Place it on level ground to avoid it tipping over.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-48583829"&gt;Never have a barbecue on a balcony.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Keep it well clear of any trees, shrubs, or flammable objects.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Keep children and animals well away.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Never use petrol or paraffin - use only recognised lighters or starter fuels on cold coals.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;For charcoal barbecues, only use the minimum fuel necessary.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-48583829"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;For gas barbecues, check that the tap is turned off before changing the cylinder.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Never leave the barbecue unattended.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Keep a bucket of water or sand close by.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Make sure the barbecue is cool before attempting to move it.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Never bring a barbecue indoors, even if you think it's burned out - it could give off &lt;a data-id="1280" href="/residents/safety-at-home/gas-safety/carbon-monoxide/" title="Carbon monoxide"&gt;carbon monoxide.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ol&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more tips and some free recipes, &lt;a href="https://www.avonfire.gov.uk/safety/outdoors/barbecues/"&gt;check out Avon Fire &amp;amp; Rescue's BBQ safety guides.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a data-id="1276" href="/residents/safety-at-home/fire-safety/" title="Fire safety"&gt;There's more fire safety advice here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 15 Jun 2023 09:53:59 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2023-06-15T09:53:59Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">21994</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/fire-training-exercise-at-berkeley-house-snow-hill-thurs-15-june-2023/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Fire training exercise at Berkeley House, Snow Hill - Thurs 15 June 2023</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Avon Fire &amp;amp; Rescue Service (AFRS) will be carrying out a fire test and training exercise at &lt;a href="https://goo.gl/maps/qNudv38UxUkz9R1k6"&gt;Berkeley House, Snow Hill&lt;/a&gt; on Thursday 15 June between 6:30pm-8:30pm.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you're in the area you may notice a lot of activity with fire engines, ladders, hoses and fire officers in and around the building.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Please don’t be alarmed. This is a routine exercise that will check important safety features of the building and help AFRS to respond swiftly and effectively to any real emergency, keeping residents safe.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;There’s no plan to sound a fire alarm and residents won’t be expected to leave their apartments.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Around 20-25 fire officers will take part, with 2-3 fire engines on site.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;They’ll be using long ladders and will run hoses up the staircase to test the dry risers (the pipes and valves that supply water for fire fighting).&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;AFRS will keep disruption to a minimum, however we ask residents of Berkeley House to please take care when using stairs and entrances.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h4&gt;Talk to us about building safety&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Curo colleagues will be on hand throughout the evening if residents and local people would like to ask any questions or chat to us about building safety. We’ll set up a small Curo gazebo close to Berkeley House. Members of AFRS will also be available to chat once they’ve finished their exercise at around 8:30pm. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We are writing to all residents of Berkeley House and putting notices up around Snow Hill to help share this information. If you have any questions or concerns in advance, please &lt;a href="/contact-us/" title="Contact us" data-id="1131"&gt;contact Curo&lt;/a&gt; (ask for our Fire Safety Team).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Thanks for your cooperation.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 01 Jun 2023 13:57:34 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2023-06-01T13:57:34Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">21974</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/are-you-worried-about-someone-who-hoards/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Are you worried about someone who hoards?</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Hoarding is a recognised mental health condition. Sufferers find it hard to get rid of things which can result in their home becoming full of possessions. This makes everyday tasks difficult and can cause significant distress. Hoarding also poses a serious risk of fire, pest infestation and it can even lead to building collapse.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Why is hoarding a fire risk?&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Every year many property fires are caused, or made worse, by hoarding.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Flammable or cluttered items near the hob or oven increase the risk of fire.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Wiring can become damaged under the weight of hoarded material and pests can chew wires, all leading to electrical fires that can easily spread.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.avonfire.gov.uk/all-areas/4175-important-advice-to-reduce-smoking-fire-risks"&gt;Smoking is the biggest cause of accidental fires&lt;/a&gt; in the home across the country. If someone smokes or uses candles in a home with lots of clutter, the risk of fire is even greater.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Portable heaters could ignite things if they’re too close, or tip over causing a fire. &lt;a href="https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/firefighters-rescue-15-people-london-26927322"&gt;This recent fire&lt;/a&gt; in London is believed to have been caused by a portable heater.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Blocked pathways can make it hard to get out once a fire starts.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Emergency services can find it difficult and dangerous to get in. They could be trapped or injured by falling items or trip hazards. Clutter impedes the rescue of people and pets in a fire.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;What can you do to help?&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Not everyone who hoards recognises that there’s a problem. If you know someone suffering with hoarding disorder, there are things you can do to help:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Empathise&lt;/strong&gt; - When talking to someone who hoards, focus on safety, not the clutter. Only call it hoarding if they use that word.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Plan&lt;/strong&gt; - Help them make an &lt;a href="https://www.avonfire.gov.uk/safety-advice/fire-safety/escape-plans"&gt;escape plan.&lt;/a&gt; That will require clear pathways and exits.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Check&lt;/strong&gt; - Make sure their smoke alarms are working. We fit and test smoke alarms at our annual home safety visits. But smoke alarms also need to be tested at least once a month - &lt;a href="https://www.avonfire.gov.uk/safety-advice/fire-safety/smoke-alarms#:~:text=Looking%20after%20your%20smoke%20alarm"&gt;here's how.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get help&lt;/strong&gt; - We can refer residents directly to Avon Fire &amp;amp; Rescue Service for a free fire safety visit. You can also refer yourself or someone you know using &lt;a href="https://www.avonfire.gov.uk/our-services/home-fire-safety-visits/home-fire-safety-visit-request"&gt;this link.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Useful links:&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://hoarding.support/"&gt;Hoarding Support&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://hoardinguk.org/"&gt;Hoarding UK&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.avonfire.gov.uk/safety-advice/fire-safety/hoarding-safety-tips"&gt;Avon Fire &amp;amp; Rescue Service&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 22 May 2023 16:45:18 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2023-05-22T16:45:18Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">21956</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/new-expanded-home-safety-checks-coming-soon/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>New &amp; expanded Home Safety Checks coming soon</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Would you like to be one of the first Curo customers to try our new and expanded Home Safety Checks?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These visits will check and service more parts of your home than ever, meaning you’ll need to be in for fewer safety appointments each year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For most customers this will be the only safety appointment you’ll need each year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As well as being more convenient for you, these expanded safety checks will save money (at least £380,000) that we’ll reinvest into the homes and services we provide customers.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Before we launch later this year, we’re trialling this new approach with a small number of customers. You can take part even if you don’t have any gas appliances in your home.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;To take part in this trial, or to find out more, please email &lt;a href="mailto:homesafetyadmin@curo-group.co.uk?Home%20Safety Check - I'd like to help pilot this approach"&gt;homesafetyadmin@curo-group.co.uk&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Need more information? Read on or download this information sheet: &lt;/p&gt;
      &lt;div class="links-download"&gt;
      &lt;a href="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/media/100004329/new-home-safety-checks-information-may-2023.pdf" title="New Home Safety Checks - information sheet May 2023.pdf"&gt;&lt;i class="fa-regular fa-file-pdf" aria-hidden="true"&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span&gt;New Home Safety Checks - information sheet May 2023.pdf&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
      &lt;/div&gt;


&lt;h2&gt;When will these new Home Safety Checks start? &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We’ll be piloting these new checks over the summer 2023 and plan to start carrying these out for all customers later in the year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;How long will the new appointments take?&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As we’ll be checking and servicing more items, this single visit may take a little longer.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The length of the appointment will depend on how many items we need to check and service in your home. Most visits will take around 90 minutes; some will be shorter, and a small number may need half a day.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;How can I take part in piloting these checks? &lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you’d like to be one of the first to benefit from these expanded safety checks, please get in touch with our Home Safety Team on &lt;a href="mailto:homesafetyadmin@curo-group.co.uk?Home%20Safety Check - I'd like to help pilot this approach"&gt;homesafetyadmin@curo-group.co.uk.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;What will we check and service?&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In one visit, we’ll check every safety-critical part of your home apart from your electricity (which is every five years). We’ll also service appliances like gas boilers and other heating systems so they run as efficiently as possible, saving you money.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A small number of homes will need additional visits to check any specialist equipment like stair lifts or hoists, or if water testing is needed.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In summary, we’ll check and service any of the following if you have them in your home:&lt;/p&gt;
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  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Columns 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Columns 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Columns 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Grid 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Grid 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Grid 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Grid 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Grid 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Grid 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Grid 7"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Grid 8"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table List 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table List 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table List 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table List 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table List 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table List 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table List 7"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table List 8"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table 3D effects 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table 3D effects 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table 3D effects 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Contemporary"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Elegant"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Professional"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Subtle 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Subtle 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Web 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Web 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Web 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Balloon Text"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="true"
   UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Table Grid"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
   Name="Table Theme"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
   Name="List Paragraph"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
   Name="Intense Quote"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
   Name="Subtle Emphasis"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
   Name="Intense Emphasis"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
   Name="Subtle Reference"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
   Name="Intense Reference"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
   UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
   UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
   Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
   Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
   Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/&gt;
  &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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&lt;div class="WordSection1"&gt;
&lt;table class="MsoTableGrid" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="background: white; mso-background-themecolor: accent3; border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid white 2.25pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 4.25pt 7.1pt 4.25pt 7.1pt; mso-border-insideh: 2.25pt solid white; mso-border-insideh-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-insidev: 2.25pt solid white; mso-border-insidev-themecolor: accent4;"&gt;
&lt;tbody&gt;
&lt;tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes;"&gt;
&lt;td width="169" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td width="520" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"&gt;
&lt;td width="169" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/residents/safety-at-home/gas-safety/" title="Gas safety" data-id="1278"&gt;Gas&lt;/a&gt; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td width="520" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We’ll check and service your gas boiler, flues and any other gas appliances we have fitted or supplied. Faulty gas appliances can produce deadly carbon monoxide and gas leaks can lead to explosions. Servicing your boiler means it will run more efficiently, saving you money.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"&gt;
&lt;td width="169" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Solid fuel (eg wood-burners or real fires)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td width="520" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Solid fuel fires can produce carbon monoxide or cause chimney fires. We’ll check these are operating safely and that chimneys or flues are safe to use.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"&gt;
&lt;td width="169" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;CO detectors and smoke alarms&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td width="520" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These detectors save lives by alerting you if there’s a fire or &lt;a href="/residents/safety-at-home/gas-safety/carbon-monoxide/" title="Carbon monoxide" data-id="1280"&gt;carbon monoxide&lt;/a&gt; in your home. We’ll check these are working properly. It’s still important you check these weekly too.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"&gt;
&lt;td width="169" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Renewable energy systems (PV systems, ground-source and air-source heat pumps)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td width="520" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We check and service these to make sure they’re running smoothly.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"&gt;
&lt;td width="169" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td width="520" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;TMVs keep hot water at a safe temperature. We’ll check yours is working properly.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;"&gt;
&lt;td width="169" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Unvented cylinders&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td width="520" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This is a pressurised cylinder and it’s important we check that all its safety features are working effectively.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;"&gt;
&lt;td width="169" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/residents/safety-at-home/" title="Safety at home" data-id="1101"&gt;Radon&lt;/a&gt; fans&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td width="520" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you have a radon fan, it will be reducing levels of this gas in your home. We’ll check your fan is switched on and running efficiently.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;"&gt;
&lt;td width="169" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Fire doors (visual check)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td width="520" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Fire doors stop fire and smoke from spreading and save lives. We’ll check these close properly and aren’t damaged. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"&gt;
&lt;td width="169" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/residents/safety-at-home/asbestos-in-your-home/" title="Asbestos in your home" data-id="1274"&gt;Asbestos&lt;/a&gt; (visual check)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;td width="520" valign="top"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If asbestos is damaged it can release harmful fibres. We’ll check the condition of any asbestos in your home.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/td&gt;
&lt;/tr&gt;
&lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt; &lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 22 May 2023 11:05:49 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2023-05-22T11:05:49Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">4052</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/11-ways-to-stay-cool-when-the-heat-is-on/</link>
      <category>news</category>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <title>11 ways to stay cool when the heat is on</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;If you're struggling to stay cool in the heat, follow &lt;a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/"&gt;these tips from the NHS for coping in hot weather.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ol&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Shut windows and pull down the shades when it's hotter outside. You can open the windows for ventilation when it's cooler.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Avoid the heat: stay out of the sun and don't go out between 11am and 3pm (the hottest part of the day) if you're vulnerable to the effects of heat.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Keep rooms cool by using shades or reflective material outside the windows. If this isn't possible, use light-coloured curtains and keep them closed (metallic blinds and dark curtains can make the room hotter).&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Have cool baths or showers, and splash yourself with cool water.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Drink cold drinks regularly, such as water and diluted fruit juice. Avoid excess alcohol, caffeine (tea, coffee and cola) or drinks high in sugar.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Listen to alerts on the radio, TV and social media about keeping cool. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Plan ahead to make sure you have enough supplies, such as food, water and any medications you need.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Identify the coolest room in the house so you know where to go to keep cool.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Wear loose, cool clothing, and a hat and sunglasses if you go outdoors.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Check up on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be less able to look after themselves.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;If you have concerns about an uncomfortably hot house that's affecting your health or someone else’s, get medical advice.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ol&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Contact our &lt;a href="/support-services/independent-living-service/" title="Independent Living Service" data-id="1423"&gt;Independent Living Service&lt;/a&gt; if you or someone you know needs support at home.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 Jul 2022 12:13:14 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2022-07-15T12:13:14Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">7220</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/7-reasons-to-keep-your-home-safety-check-appointment-why-wouldnt-you/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>7 reasons to keep your home safety check appointment... why wouldn't you?</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Every Curo tenant gets a comprehensive home safety check each year. It's a free, no-fuss, single visit that checks your home is safe. Here are 7 great reasons to keep your home safety check appointment when we get in touch:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ol&gt;
&lt;li&gt;These checks keep you and your family safe - what could be more important than that?&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Every year there are around &lt;a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/carbon-monoxide-poisoning/"&gt;60 deaths from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning&lt;/a&gt; in England and Wales. We check that your gas appliances aren't producing this silent, invisible killer.&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Faulty electrical appliances, wiring and overloaded sockets cause around 7,000 fires in the home - our electrical test will look for any hidden dangers in your wiring. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;A Curo home safety check covers much more than most landlords' routine safety inspections. &lt;hr /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;We’ll also check your smoke alarms for you at the same time, and carry out your five-year electrical test if it’s due – all in one visit.&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;We'll do all we can to make your appointment simple and convenient for you. We can even arrange to carry out any repairs you’ve booked while we’re in your home. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;And finally, you'll be doing your neighbours a favour - every missed appointment means someone else’s check is delayed.&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ol&gt;
&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;So when we contact you with details of your annual home safety check, please keep your agreed appointment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Why wouldn't you?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a data-id="3925" href="/residents/safety-at-home/home-safety-checks/" title="Home safety checks"&gt;Find out more about our free home safety checks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jun 2022 10:43:54 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2022-06-08T10:43:54Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">12992</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/spot-the-signs-of-modern-slavery-and-know-how-to-report-it/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Spot the signs of modern slavery and know how to report it</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe width="750" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cPvD2p7sPiQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Video courtesy of &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBJX2xqZ8DhYNvfIo1m0m0Q"&gt;Unseen&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;It’s estimated that 40.3 million people worldwide are held in ‘modern slavery’. Modern slavery is a complex crime and can involve many forms of exploitation, including human trafficking and forced or compulsory labour. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In the UK, 47% of referrals to the Government’s &lt;a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-trafficking-victims-referral-and-assessment-forms/guidance-on-the-national-referral-mechanism-for-potential-adult-victims-of-modern-slavery-england-and-wales"&gt;National Referral Mechanism&lt;/a&gt; for modern slavery are individuals who said they were exploited as children.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Many of us know this is happening behind closed doors in the UK, but we may not know the signs that could indicate that someone is being held in modern slavery, or what to do if we see something concerning.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Today, on &lt;a href="https://www.antislaveryday.com/"&gt;Anti-Slavery Day&lt;/a&gt;, take a moment to learn how to spot the signs of modern slavery and how to report concerns.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Curo is working with Unseen, a UK charity based in Bristol who provide safehouses and support in the community for survivors of trafficking and modern slavery. Through their work Unseen have identified these common indicators of modern slavery: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Isolation&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;They’re rarely allowed to travel on their own&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Appear to be under the control of others&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Tend not to interact with other people&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Seem unfamiliar with their neighbourhood or where they work&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Have relationships which don’t seem right – for example, a young teenager appearing to be the boyfriend/ girlfriend of a much older adult&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Restricted freedom of movement&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;They don’t have documents that would allow them to travel – passports, ID, etc.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Limited opportunities to move freely&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Few personal possessions&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Wear the same clothes day-in day-out&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Reluctance to seek help&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Avoiding eye contact&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Appearing frightened, or hesitant to talk to strangers&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Fear of law enforcers&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Fear of deportation&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Unsure who to trust or where to get help&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Fear of violence to them or their family&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Physical appearance&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Signs of physical or psychological abuse, such as untreated injuries, anxiety, agitation, or appearing to be withdrawn and neglected&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;They look malnourished or unkempt&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Wear clothes that are unsuitable for their work&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Poor living conditions&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;They’re living in dirty, cramped or overcrowded accommodation&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Working and living at the same address.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Unusual travel arrangements&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;They’re always be dropped off at/ collected from work; and very early in the morning or late at night&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Children dropped off/ picked up in private cars or taxis at unusual times and in places where it isn’t clear why they’d be there.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These are all signs that someone could be held in modern slavery.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can help.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you’re concerned about someone, please call the UK Modern Slavery &amp;amp; Exploitation helpline on 08000 121 700. &lt;a href="https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org/report"&gt;Or you can report a concern online here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information about modern slavery &lt;a href="https://www.unseenuk.org/"&gt;please visit the Unseen website.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 18 Oct 2021 13:51:48 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2021-10-18T13:51:48Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">11843</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/keeping-shared-areas-safe-from-fire/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>blog</category>
      <title>Keeping shared areas safe from fire</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;&lt;img alt="Fire Safety Officer Matt Bryant" src="https://www.curo-group.co.uk/media/100003290/matthew-bryant-new-1.jpg?width=181.85915492957747&amp;amp;height=240" align="left" data-id="11859" style="width: 181.85915492957747px; height: 240px;"&gt;Meet your Fire Safety Compliance Team. The team is made up of six Fire Safety Officers: Kani, Kyran, Caz, Bobby, Kerry and me - Matt. We also have Kai, he's our Fire Safety Administrator and Brian is our Fire Safety Compliance Team Supervisor. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If your Curo home is in a block of flats or a building with more than one property inside it, you'll see us in the communal areas of your building carrying out fire safety checks. Here's what we check and how you can help us to keep you, your family and your neighbours safe from fire.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4&gt;Fire alarm systems&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If your block has a fire panel in the communal area, we'll carry out a weekly test to make sure your system is always working as it should be. We test your fire system by operating a 'manual call point' or MCP. These are the red devices used to raise the alarm if there's a fire. This sends a signal to the alarm panel and sounds the alarm. Testing this tells us your system is healthy and in working order.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We then need to silence your alarm on the fire panel. We will test a different call point every week so sometimes the alarm may be sounding for a little longer if we are testing a call point further away from the panel. You should find a poster by the document box in your block telling you when you should expect to hear your alarm being tested. Usually the alarm will sound for up to 60 seconds.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If your alarm sounds for longer than 60 seconds you should make your way out of the building closing your flat door behind you.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4&gt;Emergency lighting&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We check the emergency lights in your communal areas once a month to make sure these lights will switch on and illuminate your escape route in an emergency.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4&gt;Checking safety signs are visible&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We make sure all the correct and up to date safety signs and information are clearly displayed in your communal areas.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4&gt;Keeping communal areas clear&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A vital part of our role is to make sure that your communal areas are kept clear of possessions and unwanted items. We need to keep these areas clear so that, in an emergency:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;everyone can exit the building safely and&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;fire fighters entering the building are safe too.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Some items such as recycling can also act as a fuel for a fire to start or spread. If we find items in communal areas, we'll work with you to get them removed as soon as possible to ensure the safety of you and your neighbours. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4&gt;Spotting, reporting and fixing issues&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We always fill out a report form on our handheld devices, noting and reporting any faults we find so they can be fixed quickly.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4&gt;Checking doors and lights&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As part of our visits we check your entrance doors are secure and that communal fire doors are in good condition and self-close, and we make sure nothing safety-critical has been tampered with. We also make sure all your communal lights are working. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Thanks for help us to keep you safe by keeping your communal areas clear, not propping open fire doors and reporting any safety concerns to us. Please say hello if you see us in your communal areas. We're always happy to help with any questions about fire safety.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/residents/safety-at-home/fire-safety/" title="Fire safety" data-id="1276"&gt;Download our fire safety leaflets here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Aug 2021 17:06:53 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2021-08-25T17:06:53Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">11764</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/planning-for-summer-floods/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>blog</category>
      <title>Planning for summer floods</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Sally Alvey is Schemes Manager for &lt;a href="https://www.thistletenants-scotland.co.uk/"&gt;Thistle Tenant Risks&lt;/a&gt;, who administer the &lt;a href="https://www.housing.org.uk/"&gt;National Housing Federation&lt;/a&gt; ‘My Home Contents Insurance Scheme’. Here she shares some tips to help tenants plan for summer floods&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Here in the UK we know that over the summer months we can go from hot glorious sunshine to horrendous downpours and flooding. Here are few steps on how to plan ahead of a flood:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Maintaining your property&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Keeping up with general maintenance such as clearing drains and gullies of debris could help prevent overflowing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Take out home contents insurance&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Make sure you consider home contents insurance to protect your home contents and belongings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Find out where you can get help&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Areas prone to flooding may already have flood groups and community hubs where you can find food, clothing, shelter and advice during a flood. Some areas have community flood wardens - volunteers who monitor a specific local area and inform its residents when flooding is likely.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;What to do if you get a flood warning?&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A flood warning means you must take immediate action when flooding is expected, which could mean:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Moving vehicles to higher ground if it is safe to do so.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Moving the family and pets to safety.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Moving important items that you can’t easily take away with you upstairs or to a safe place your property, starting with cherished items and valuables, then furniture and furnishings.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies if it’s safe to do so; never touch an electrical switch if you’re standing in water.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;If you have property protection products such as flood barriers, or air brick covers, use them now.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/what-to-do-in-a-flood/getting-a-flood-warning"&gt;Click here for more information and useful tips.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please remember you are responsible for replacing your home contents and belongings. Could you afford to replace your furniture and personal possessions if you were to suffer a flood?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Contact us&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;To find out more about the National Housing Federation’s My Home Contents Insurance scheme, which was designed for tenants in social housing, and to cover you against damage caused by floods and storms. You can pay premiums in cash fortnightly or monthly, monthly by direct debit or annually and upgrade cover if required. Fortnightly and monthly premiums include a transaction charge.&lt;br /&gt;Phone: 0345 450 7288&lt;br /&gt;Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm&lt;br /&gt;Email: &lt;a href="mailto:myhome@thistleinsurance.co.uk"&gt;myhome@thistleinsurance.co.uk&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2021 15:44:16 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2021-06-22T15:44:16Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">9587</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/safety-first-electricity-dos-and-don-ts/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Safety first: electricity dos and don’ts</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Keep your family ands your neighbours safe with these five safety tips:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ol&gt;
&lt;li&gt;DON’T DO IT YOURSELF! DIY wiring can lead to electrical parts overheating, causing fires, shocks and death.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;DON’T OVERLOAD SOCKETS Plugging too many devices into one socket, and over-using extension leads, can lead to overheating and fires.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;DO BUY REPUTABLE ELECTRICAL GOODS&lt;br /&gt;Cheaper, ‘unofficial’ electrical products such as phone chargers may not meet safety regulations,&lt;br /&gt;increasing the risk of fire.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;DO ALLOW ELECTRICAL INSPECTIONS TO TAKE PLACE Regular checks are the best way to be sure that electrical installations are safe, and to spot potential problems before it is too late. On top of our annual home safety checks, we carry out additional electrical safety checks all our tenants’ homes every five years.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ol&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;It’s the law&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Here's what we must do regarding electrical installation maintenance:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We must ensure that the electrical installation and electrical equipment we own in your property is safe.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We must ensure your property is free of any serious electrical hazards, including:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Exposed wiring&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Overloaded sockets&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Poorly installed electrical systems&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We must ensure that any threats from accidental fires are minimised, through:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Ensuring Residual Current Devices (RCDs) are fitted.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Ensuring the distribution board and wiring are regularly checked and maintained.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We must make sure any electrical work complies with the Building Regulations, in particular Part P. Some work (including new circuits, alterations to existing circuits in bathrooms, and replacement consumer units) is notifiable. This must be verified by the issuing of a Building Regulations compliance certificate.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It is recommended best practice that we arrange for an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)&lt;br /&gt;to be carried out at least every five years. EICRs are important to verify the electrical safety of&lt;br /&gt;properties and spot hazards.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;What we’ll do&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When we visit to check the electrics in your property we will:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Conduct a visual inspection of the electrics, checking:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The electrical intake (where the electricity enters the property, near to the consumer unit/&lt;br /&gt;fuse box)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The consumer unit&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The main protective bonding (which connects pipework with the electrics in a property)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Any fixtures and fittings (such as light fittings and sockets)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The state of wires and cables&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Send a qualified, competent electrician, who may undertake a Periodic Inspection which will result in the creation of an EICR. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Carry out any necessary repairs or remedial work.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Please allow up to two hours for checks to be completed adequately.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you're concerned about the electrical installation in your property &lt;a href="/contact-us/" title="Contact us" data-id="1131"&gt;contact Curo.&lt;/a&gt; Thanks for helping us to keep your home safe.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:08:43 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2021-03-18T16:08:43Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">6977</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/curo-chats-keeping-you-and-your-family-safe-in-your-home/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Curo chats: Keeping you and your family safe in your home</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Ashima, Dan and Katie are chatting through how we're working with you to keep your home, your building and your family and neighbours safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;iframe width="560" height="420" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5E8udY-yKuQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="#" title="Fire safety: keeping your home and family safe during the COVID-19 lockdown" data-id="6879"&gt;Get more home safety tips and advice.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLly-5tkbM_ao2gJ1XjC0Wu_nnHh4O9xXW"&gt;For more of Curo chats like this, visit our Youtube channel.&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2020 15:35:50 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2020-07-06T15:35:50Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">6827</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/annual-gas-safety-check-appointments-now-on-mycuro/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Annual Gas Safety Check appointments now on MyCuro</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Annual gas safety check appointments are now available online through MyCuro. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4&gt;How does it work?&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When your next annual gas safety check is due you’ll receive a letter from us to let you the date the engineer will be visiting. If this isn’t a convenient date and time you can now head to MyCuro and book in a new date on the Home Safety page.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Once your check has been carried out we’ll upload your Landlord Gas Safety Record (LGSR) certificate onto MyCuro. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;To log in, register or find out more - &lt;a href="/contact-us/mycuro-customer-portal/" title="MyCuro customer portal" target="_blank" data-id="1227"&gt;MyCuro&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For further information about &lt;a href="/residents/safety-at-home/" title="Safety at home" target="_blank"&gt;Safety in the Home&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2020 14:01:18 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2020-05-15T14:01:18Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">6913</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/hotpoint-and-indesit-washing-machine-recall/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Hotpoint and Indesit washing machine recall</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;If you have a &lt;strong&gt;Hotpoint or Indesit&lt;/strong&gt; washing machine, it's important you check whether it's a model with a known fault.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Whirlpool - who own the Hoptpoint and Indesit brands - has identified a fire risk from the door lock system on certain washing machine models. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you have a washing machine from Hotpoint or Indesit:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;1. Unplug and do not use it.&lt;br /&gt;2. &lt;a href="https://washingmachinerecall.whirlpool.co.uk/"&gt;Check if it’s a model with a known fault&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;3. If it is, contact the Whirlpool freephone hotline &lt;strong&gt;0800 316 1442&lt;/strong&gt; or register on the Whirlpool website&lt;br /&gt;(it's important you contact Whirlpool, not Curo, about this).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information, including a list of all the affected models (which includes models identified in December 2019 and April 2020) visit &lt;a href="https://productrecall.campaign.gov.uk/"&gt;https://productrecall.campaign.gov.uk/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Note: this washing machine recall is in addition to &lt;a href="/news/news-stories/do-you-own-a-tumble-drier-have-you-checked-its-safe/" title="Do you own a tumble drier? Have you checked it's safe?" data-id="6520"&gt;a similar recall for tumble driers made under the Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan or Proline brands.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2020 09:21:55 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2020-05-05T09:21:55Z</a10:updated>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">6520</guid>
      <link>https://www.curo-group.co.uk/news/news-stories/do-you-own-a-tumble-drier-have-you-checked-its-safe/</link>
      <category>homepage</category>
      <category>news</category>
      <title>Do you own a tumble drier? Have you checked it's safe?</title>
      <description>&lt;p class="exec_text"&gt;Do you have a tumble dryer made by Whirlpool under the Hotpoint, Indesit, Creda, Swan or Proline brands? If so, it may be faulty and could pose a fire risk. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;What should you do?&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://dryerrecall.whirlpool.co.uk/"&gt;Go to this web page&lt;/a&gt; and check the model of your tumble dryer&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Call 0800 151 0905 to check whether the tumble dryer needs to be replaced&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/815835/Hotpoint__Indesit__Creda__Swan_and_Proline_tumble_dryers.pdf"&gt;Follow this safety checklist&lt;/a&gt; which also includes a link to all the affected makes and models&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;If your tumble dryer is affected, unplug the machine and contact Whirlpool on 0800 151 0905 to arrange a free replacement&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It’s estimated by the Government that the fault with these tumble dryers has caused up to 750 fires in the last 11 years.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Please take a moment to check whether yours is affected.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 Sep 2019 15:33:19 Z</pubDate>
      <a10:updated>2019-09-13T15:33:19Z</a10:updated>
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