There has been an important change to the fire evacuation arrangements for buildings at 7–21 Golspie Street. This change follows the findings of the recent Single Building Assessment (SBA) instructed through the Scottish Government’s Cladding Remediation Programme.
Why the change is necessary
When your home was built they were constructed in full compliance with building regulations at the time. However, since then, these regulations have been updated becoming more stringent, including updates related to cladding and applies to Golspie St properties (7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 19 and 21). .
Previously these residents were required to stay within their property in the event of a fire.
However this guidance has now changed.
If you hear the fire alarm, smell smoke or discover a fire:
→ Leave your flat immediately
→ Use the stairs only – do NOT use the lift
→ Proceed to the assembly point at the front of Golspie Street
This applies to all residents in Blocks 7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 19 and 21. We have distributed a useful poster for you to display within your home. We are also updating relevant signage in all public areas.
Keeping your building safe
Please help us reduce risk and help keep everyone safe by:
• Keeping public spaces including landings, corridors and lobbies free of all belongings.
• Not tampering with smoke vents or fire doors.
• Reporting any damage, defects or obstructions immediately.
Please also note that weekly documented inspections of all communal areas in each block will now be carried out. These inspections are intended to ensure escape routes remain safe and free from obstruction. If repeated obstructions, such as bikes, prams, furniture, or other items, are found during these checks, appropriate action will be taken, which may include the removal of items and enforcement measures where necessary. These steps are essential to protect all residents and maintain compliance with fire safety requirements.
We will also check if damage has been caused by misuse of automatic opening vents (AOVs). AOVs are vital fire safety systems designed to automatically open upon detecting smoke or heat.
FOR OWNER OCCUPIERS ONLY
In full cooperation with Govan Housing Association, Water Row Company (WRC) has agreed to carry out the weekly checks at no additional cost.
If any owner does not wish the WRC to complete these weekly visits, please inform us.
The WRC can arrange for an external contractor to undertake the checks, however, please note that if an external contractor is involved in the process, this will be a chargeable service, and the cost will be added to your factoring bill.
Should owner occupiers prefer a contractor to carry out this work, we will require written confirmation from a majority of owners before this can be arranged.
Next steps
We are liaising with the Scottish Government as part of the single open call (SOC) procedure to upgrade the cladding on affected properties. We will communicate with tenants regarding the SOC process going forward, however, please note that any progress is reliant on actions being taken by the Scottish Government.
Open Day
We will be hosting an open day in the very near future to answer any questions you may have and there will be members of the fire brigade on hand to answer any questions as well as representatives from the company who manage our AOVs – they will provide a demonstration on the proper use of AOVs.
In the meantime, if you would like further information do not hesitate to contact your housing officer or WRC. Thank you for your cooperation during this temporary period. Your safety remains our priority.