Fire fighting devices, installed by home owners and landlords. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Safety, Scented Candles & Incense
I read about the potential dangers of scented candles and incense.
Allergies And Precautions
I started reflecting on which places are romantic and which are healthy and safe.I and my nearest and dearest family have lived in the UK, USA, Spain and Singapore. I was tested for allergies in my early teens and knew after that to avoid feathers. So feather pillows in our home and in hotels were on my list of things to avoid. (Also animal fur. So no pets such as birds and cats. Nothing which floated fine particles in the air.)
After my parents died I lived for a time in their flat, so did my son after that. Eventually I rented it out, which covered the cost of the annual maintenance charge and shifted the council tax onto somebody else.
No Smoking
No soking bans are increasing worldwide in hotels, restaurants, to protect the lungs of the building occupants and others nearby, living in the building, working in the building.
As landlords, we made a no smoking rule mainly because of the fire risk. You also have to consider the safety of your tenants, and neighbours.
Insurance
Plus the terms of your insurance for your property and fixtures and fittings. Plus the buildings insurance of the freeholder or management company.
Smoking might also set off the fire alarms. The fire alarm went off, endangering the blind man upstairs who heard the alarm, smelled smoke and he ran downstairs hurting himself. This happened when a fire ceremony was conducted indoors for a new baby.
Other successive tenants burned incense, some lit candles.
Bans On Cats and Petd
Others wanted a cat. We reluctantly gaver permission. They acquired two cats.
Later, their neighbours, tenants of the same landlord, included a wife who was afraid of cats. She was upset when the cat wandering outside made a habit of trying to get in through her patio doors alongsisde. The solution found by her husband was to buy cheap cat repellent stick which was placed outside the second patio door.
Fortunately, the two neighbours had already established a good relationship.
This means that if I allow tenants to have birds or cats, the hairs are infecting furniture, bedding, carpets and curtains. Making the place unhealthy for me if I am widowed and want to downsize into the flat.
Cats
Plus, the new problem I had not anticipated in addition to problems within the flat, outside it, upsetting other tenants.
On the plus side, I was told that the arrival of the cats had resulted in the disappearance of mice.
I also heard at an AGM from the management company rep, that you mice and rats don't get along, so you either have mice or rats, not both.
I later learned about the following suggested precautions.
Mould Prevention
Some countries have a lot of rain. The UK. The wet west coasts where the mountains have greenery, showing that plants on hillsides receive rain dropped from clouds and mists coming in from the sea.
On higher ground you might be safer from rising water, tides, tsunamis.
Mould Prevention and Clothes Drying On Radiators
Keep Clothes Away From Walls
Keep Walls Clear
Mould Prevention and Plants
Another idea I read, was to change or replace existing plants with succulents or cacti which take in water from the air. One such plant is nicknamed mother-in law's tongue, which can grown into a large, plants with spiky tips.
Useful Websites
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14160749/Disturbing-risks-festive-scented-candles-revealed-experts-say-worse-health-cigarette-smoke.html
