Getting Winter-Ready

When temperatures drop, most of us will be spending more time indoors. In these times, it’s important to make sure your home is safe and warm.

Test your heating

Before it turns cold, test your central heating system to make sure it is working correctly. Run the heating for 30 minutes, as this will allow you to check that your radiators heat up correctly. This means any problems are identified and can be sorted out before winter when you need your heating on.

We understand the importance of keeping your home warm and your energy costs down.

Managing winter costs

We have a dedicated welfare benefits team who can provide advice and assistance with maximising your income and supporting you in accessing grants and vouchers to help with your energy costs. You can contact our team on Welfare.benefits@northstarhg.co.uk or 03000 11 00 11.

Our Keep Well in Winter campaign aims to ensure all our customers are supported and no-one in our communities goes without food, warmth, or essential items, particularly during the colder months. Find out more about our Keep Well in Winter campaign.

Some other top tips in getting ready for winter:

Report any blocked or broken gutters.
Make sure your ventilation is working. such as kitchen and bathroom fans.
Know where your stop cock is and how to turn your water off if required.
Check taps are not dripping.
If you see any signs of damp and mould, please report it to us immediately. You can find more information on how to avoid damp, what it looks like and how to report to us on our damp, mould and condensation page.
Keep furniture away from radiators to allow heat to circulate freely.
Look out for friends, relatives and neighbours who may be vulnerable to the cold.
Stay tuned to the weather forecast and plan with supplies.
Keep a torch handy in case of power outages.
Make sure to order repeat prescriptions in good time, don’t wait until you run out.

If your pipes are frozen or you have a leak or burst pipe:

Contact North Star immediately.
Turn the water supply off at the stop cock.
Try to minimise the escaping water with towels.

Home contents insurance

We recommend insuring your home for peace of mind. As a landlord, we are responsible for insuring the building you live in. However it is the responsibility of the tenant to ensure that you have home contents insurance in place to protect against damage or loss of personal possessions within your home.