Recurring concern

Failure to control blind-cord strangulation risks in residential properties

First to latest report 5 Jun 2014 — 26 Jul 2022

Reports that mention this concern: 3
Times this concern has been raised: 3
Stated actions linked to this concern: 8

What this concern includes

Includes failures of controls specifically intended to prevent, identify or remediate blind-cord strangulation risks in residential properties, including landlord obligations, property audits, inspection requirements, use of safety cords, warnings and action on existing hazardous blind cords.

What is not included

Excludes general window-covering, glass-door, smoke-alarm and other residential-property hazards that are not specifically related to blind-cord strangulation.
Excludes generic landlord inspection, maintenance or regulatory deficiencies where blind-cord safety is not the identified concern.
Excludes non-residential blind-cord risks unless the assertion explicitly concerns the same residential-property control process.
Excludes unrelated child-safety education or supervision failures where no deficient blind-cord control is identified.

Trends

Reports over time

Reports mentioning this concern, over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

Department for Business, Innovation & Skills1

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government1

Oldham Borough Council1

Reports and published responses 3 reports

See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response

26 Jul2022
Manchester North
Concerns raised1
1. Failure of residential property audits to address risks to children from internal blinds
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Oldham Borough Council
Stated actions 2
1. Oldham Borough Council
  Add blind-cord safety to licensing conditions and check it during every Environmental Health property visit.
2. Oldham Borough Council
  Brief residential-property enforcement officers on blind-cord safety and instruct them to check cords at every property visited.
Respondent positions 4
1. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
  New legal requirements for private rented housing would not achieve removal of dangerous looped blind cords because the risk affects homes of all tenures.
  Disputes the concern
1. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
  OPSS is responsible for regulating the safety of consumer products such as window blinds.
  Redirects responsibility
2. Oldham Borough Council
  The Council cannot advise or check privately rented properties outside its selective licensing scheme or properties it does not visit.
  Unable to act
3. Oldham Borough Council
  National legislative intervention to address blind-cord safety across privately rented properties is a matter for the Government.
  Redirects responsibility
AI-generated summary

Kane Thomas Harley Davidson · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Kane Thomas Harley Davidson was found unresponsive at his family home on 28 January 2022 and died on 1 February 2022 after suffering extensive widespread diffuse hypoxia pattern of ischaemic brain injury. The report identified concerns about the licensing and inspection of privately rented properties, including inadequate assessment and enforcement of risks from non-compliant internal window blinds and unclear information provided to tenants and landlords.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure of residential property audits to address risks to children from internal blinds
Wider context from the report
“3. Where an audit of residential property is undertaken, there is no express obligation upon the person conducting the audit or assessment to refer to other risks to which children might be exposed, including, those posed by internal blinds. 4. This remains the position notwithstanding the fact that the council was on notice of such risk and indeed had issued guidance to those undertaking inspections. The nature and character of the risk posed by such equipment was not accommodated within any documentation to which the Court has been given access. ”
Source location
Kane Thomas Harley Davidson · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 2 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Add blind-cord safety to licensing conditions and check it during every Environmental Health property visit.

Verbatim wording from the response
“• As the Council has discretion regarding the licence conditions that form the basis of the selective licensing scheme, these have been amended to include blind cord safety as a licence condition and this will be checked at every property visited by the Council's Environmental Health team both as part of any audit of a property and also as part of an inspection in response to any other reported issue.”

Source location
Response from Oldham Council
Page 1 · response
Published 28 September 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Brief residential-property enforcement officers on blind-cord safety and instruct them to check cords at every property visited.

Verbatim wording from the response
“• All Enforcement officers within the team who inspect residential properties have been briefed as to the importance of blind cord safety and instructed to check any issues with blind cords at all properties that they visit.”

Source location
Response from Oldham Council
Page 2 · response
Published 28 September 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
New legal requirements for private rented housing would not achieve removal of dangerous looped blind cords because the risk affects homes of all tenures.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Having considered this issue extremely carefully, however, I am not of the view that new legal requirements on the private rented sector will achieve the outcomes we desire – namely the removal of dangerous looped blind cords from all residential accommodation as soon as possible. This is an issue that affects people in homes of all tenures, not just private renters.”

Source location
Response from Department for Levelling up Housing & Communities
Page 1 · response
Published 28 September 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
OPSS is responsible for regulating the safety of consumer products such as window blinds.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Instead, I believe that campaigns to raise awareness of this issue are the key. This is why my department has supported the work done by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), who have responsibility for regulation of the safety of consumer products like window blinds. The Government, through OPSS, continue to fund the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to raise awareness of safety risks, including the importance of not warnings and following safety instructions where they are included.”

Source location
Response from Department for Levelling up Housing & Communities
Page 1 · response
Published 28 September 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
The Council cannot advise or check privately rented properties outside its selective licensing scheme or properties it does not visit.

Verbatim wording from the response
“The selective licensing scheme doesn't require the Council to carry out an audit of every property that is licensed and the scheme only covers a percentage of privately rented properties in Oldham, therefore there will be many more privately rented properties that the Council is unaware of and therefore won't be able to give advice on blind cord safety or check that they comply. There are also a large number of Local Authorities that do not have a licensing scheme in their locality making tackling this issue potentially national issue in the privately rented sector. Can I suggest that as part of your considerations it should be highlighted to the Government's Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUCH) the dangers and inconsistency across the Country without national legislative intervention.”

Source location
Response from Oldham Council
Page 1 · response
Published 28 September 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
National legislative intervention to address blind-cord safety across privately rented properties is a matter for the Government.

Verbatim wording from the response
“The selective licensing scheme doesn't require the Council to carry out an audit of every property that is licensed and the scheme only covers a percentage of privately rented properties in Oldham, therefore there will be many more privately rented properties that the Council is unaware of and therefore won't be able to give advice on blind cord safety or check that they comply. There are also a large number of Local Authorities that do not have a licensing scheme in their locality making tackling this issue potentially national issue in the privately rented sector. Can I suggest that as part of your considerations it should be highlighted to the Government's Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUCH) the dangers and inconsistency across the Country without national legislative intervention.”

Source location
Response from Oldham Council
Page 1 · response
Published 28 September 2022
Open published response
9 Nov2020
Manchester South
Concerns raised1
1. Failure of residential landlords to ensure the use of safety cords on blinds in rental properties
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
The British Blind and Shutter Association Limited
Stated actions 5
1. The British Blind and Shutter Association Limited
  Produce guidance for landlords on their responsibilities and making existing blinds safer.
2. The British Blind and Shutter Association Limited
  Update the child safety website to include landlords and signpost the landlord guidance.
3. The British Blind and Shutter Association Limited
  Disseminate the landlord safety guidance through residential letting-sector contacts and member organisations.
1. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
  Publicise the blind-cord safety campaign through newsletters to landlords and local authorities and private rented-sector landlord and tenant guides.
2. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
  Identify additional ways to disseminate blind-cord safety information across all housing tenures.
AI-generated summary

Joey Jenson Walker · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Joey Jenson Walker was found unresponsive after becoming entangled by the neck in a roller-blind cord and died 18 days later in hospital. The report expressed concern that residential landlords were not required to inspect window coverings or ensure that only safety cords were used in privately rented properties.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure of residential landlords to ensure the use of safety cords on blinds in rental properties
Wider context from the report
“It is a matter of concern that residential landlords are not currently subject to any obligation to inspect window coverings such as roller blinds installed at private rental properties, or to otherwise ensure that only safety cords are used on blinds in use in properties let out to residential tenants. ”
Source location
Joey Jenson Walker · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 2 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Produce guidance for landlords on their responsibilities and making existing blinds safer.

Verbatim wording from the response
“The BBSA has worked with Trading Standards and RoSPA to produce some specific guidance for Landlords highlighting their responsibilities and how to make existing blinds safer. I am enclosing a copy for your information.”

Source location
2020-0226-Response-from-British-Blind-and-Shutter-Association-Redacted.pdf
Page 1 · response
Published 21 December 2020
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Update the child safety website to include landlords and signpost the landlord guidance.

Verbatim wording from the response
“We have also updated our child safety website to include landlords in the menu options and to signpost this guidance on this website – www.makeitsafe.org.uk.”

Source location
2020-0226-Response-from-British-Blind-and-Shutter-Association-Redacted.pdf
Page 1 · response
Published 21 December 2020
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Disseminate the landlord safety guidance through residential letting-sector contacts and member organisations.

Verbatim wording from the response
“I am pleased to report the National Residential Landlords Association are supporting the dissemination of this guidance to their members. We are in contact with others in the residential letting sector to do the same.”

Source location
2020-0226-Response-from-British-Blind-and-Shutter-Association-Redacted.pdf
Page 1 · response
Published 21 December 2020
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Publicise the blind-cord safety campaign through newsletters to landlords and local authorities and private rented-sector landlord and tenant guides.

Verbatim wording from the response
“My officials have worked with their colleagues at OPSS to further publicise this campaign, through our newsletters to landlords and local authorities and our suite of guides for private rented sector landlords and tenants that cover safety in rented properties. I will ask that they continue this work with their colleagues in OPSS, in particular identifying more ways this information can be disseminated to all housing tenures.”

Source location
2020-0226-Response-from-Secretary-of-State-for-Housing-Communities-and-Local-Government-REDACTED.pdf
Page 2 · response
Published 21 December 2020
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Identify additional ways to disseminate blind-cord safety information across all housing tenures.

Verbatim wording from the response
“My officials have worked with their colleagues at OPSS to further publicise this campaign, through our newsletters to landlords and local authorities and our suite of guides for private rented sector landlords and tenants that cover safety in rented properties. I will ask that they continue this work with their colleagues in OPSS, in particular identifying more ways this information can be disseminated to all housing tenures.”

Source location
2020-0226-Response-from-Secretary-of-State-for-Housing-Communities-and-Local-Government-REDACTED.pdf
Page 2 · response
Published 21 December 2020
Open published response
5 Jun2014
Sunderland
Concerns raised1
1. Existing blind cords posing a risk of death to children
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response

Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
Stated actions 1
1. Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
  Continue supporting partner-led blind-cord safety awareness campaigns through funding and collaboration.
Respondent positions 2
1. Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
  Established partner campaigns and networks are considered an effective response to increasing awareness of blind-cord safety risks.
  Existing arrangements considered sufficient
1. Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
  Preventive delivery is led by the BBSA and RoSPA through partnerships and networks rather than undertaken solely by government.
  Redirects responsibility
AI-generated summary

Sophie Allen · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Sophie Allen, aged 2 years, was found at home with a blind cord wrapped around her neck and was pronounced dead on 26 April 2014 after hospital transfer. The report highlighted the continuing risk of blind cords to young children, including risks from existing cords in homes and the need for wider public awareness.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Existing blind cords posing a risk of death to children
Wider context from the report
“Sophie's death was yet another example of the dangers that blind cords pose to the lives of young children. I understand that since 1999 there have been 28 such deaths in the UK due to looped cords (15 of them since 2010). I am aware that following reports from Coroners and other representations the new EN13120 released in February 2014 strengthened the child safety elements of the standard and that your Department continues to actively support safety campaigns which would include the distribution of leaflets and the provision of cleats and cord shorten. Sadly and despite these efforts public awareness and the need to act promptly to eliminate the risks associated with blind cords not only needs to continue but perhaps should be extended to cover a greater element of the population including infants, grandparents and carers. Although the new standard applies to new installations there will be millions of blind cords already fitted in homes occupied (or visited by children) that pose a very real risk of death as in Sophie's case. It may be that Sophie's family may also write to you. ”
Source location
Sophie Allen · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 1 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Continue supporting partner-led blind-cord safety awareness campaigns through funding and collaboration.

Verbatim wording from the response
“BIS supports the BBSA’s “Make It Safe Campaign” which is run primarily with RoSPA through widespread distribution of the Make It Safe brochure, press releases, TV and radio programmes and interviews and use of social networking. Since 2011 the BBSA has produced and distributed 1.6 million Make It Safe leaflets (many through RoSPA). They have also produced a video, poster, vehicle and shop window stickers – more information can be found on their website http://www.makeitsafe.org.uk/ The leaflet has gone to every local authority in Wales and to the main children’s organisations (statutory and NGOs).”

Source location
2014-0256-Response
Page 1 · response
Published 5 June 2014
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Established partner campaigns and networks are considered an effective response to increasing awareness of blind-cord safety risks.

Verbatim wording from the response
“However, I believe there is an already established and effective network of partners who are well placed to take preventative action forward, led by the British Blind and Shutters Association (BBSA) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA). Below I outline some of the campaigns planned or already underway.”

Source location
2014-0256-Response
Page 1 · response
Published 5 June 2014
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Preventive delivery is led by the BBSA and RoSPA through partnerships and networks rather than undertaken solely by government.

Verbatim wording from the response
“However, I believe there is an already established and effective network of partners who are well placed to take preventative action forward, led by the British Blind and Shutters Association (BBSA) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA). Below I outline some of the campaigns planned or already underway.”

Source location
2014-0256-Response
Page 1 · response
Published 5 June 2014
Open published response

Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.

Data last updated 7 September 2026

What this concern includes

Trends

Reports mentioning this concern, over time

Concerns raised1

Failure of residential property audits to address risks to children from internal blinds

Linked responses

Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2

Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.4

Concerns raised1

Failure of residential landlords to ensure the use of safety cords on blinds in rental properties

Linked responses

Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5

Concerns raised1

Existing blind cords posing a risk of death to children

Linked response

Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1

Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2

Stated actions 2

Respondent positions 4

Stated actions 5

Stated actions 1

Respondent positions 2