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BUILDING SAFETY
The Building Safety Act sets out new rules on how buildings should be designed, built and maintained, and we’re committed to meeting these standards across our properties. This page explains what the Act means for you, how we keep your building safe, and how our Resident Engagement Strategy helps you stay informed, involved and empowered. Together, we can make sure your home remains a safe and supportive place to live.
The Building Safety Act is a new law in England and Wales that sets clear rules to ensure buildings are designed, built, and maintained safely. It’s an important piece of legislation for us and for anyone living in our student homes. Additional guidance sits within the government’s Statutory Instruments, which provide more detailed requirements.
There are also specific rules for taller buildings - those over 18 metres or with seven or more floors. Not all Unite Students properties fall into this category, but some do.
To meet the requirements of the Act, we keep updated records of how each building is designed, constructed, maintained, and adapted over time.
We also keep you informed and involve you when needed - which is why we’ve created our Resident Engagement Strategy. Your safety is our priority. We follow this Act alongside many other laws to ensure you have the information, support, and building safety standards you need while living with us.
This strategy explains how we keep you informed and involved in the safety of your student home. We developed it with input from residents, external experts, and the new requirements of the Building Safety Act. It focuses on three key aims:
Engage with residents
Keep residents informed
Empower residents to raise concerns
We're confident in the safety of our buildings and encourage you to ask questions about any property or any area covered by the Act, including:
Electrical Safety
Fire Safety
Structural Safety
Resident Engagement
We connect with you through our website, email, digital platforms, and the MyUnite app, ensuring information is always accessible. If we need to communicate something important in person, your building’s General Manager or on‑site team will speak with you directly.
If an issue covered by the Building Safety Act arises, we’ll let you know what it means for you and what we’re doing to resolve it. You’ll also be invited to share your views when we update this strategy.
This could be through email, surveys, conversations with our teams, the Resident Ambassador programme, or our Customer Panel. You can view both our responsibilities and your own by visiting our Home Charter at any time.
We’ll keep you updated about your building’s safety, ensuring our communication is accessible to everyone. You can request information about your building at any time, and we'll share it with you as soon as possible.
If an issue is identified, we’ll explain what steps we’re taking to address it. When we share technical documents, we add clear explanations so you understand what the information means for you.
We make sure you have everything you need to keep yourself safe - from fire evacuation guidance to handy tips on fire prevention. If you have a question or concern, you can contact your building’s General Manager using the details displayed in reception. You can also email us at buildingsafetyact@unitestudents.com.
You can provide feedback or make a complaint through our Building Safety Form, and we’ll respond within 10 days. Any time we update our safety strategy, we’ll send a survey so you can share your views.
We will:
Inform you of any issues affecting a building’s structure, electrical systems, or safety systems, and explain how we’re keeping you safe while we fix them.
Provide fire safety and fire prevention information.
Carry out regular Fire Risk Assessments.
Check that safety systems - including fire alarms, smoke detectors, emergency lighting, fire doors, and escape routes - are working correctly.
Respond within 2 hours to any identified safety system fault.
Put temporary safety measures in place when needed, such as increased patrols or temporary equipment.
Keep escape routes clear and remove items that could cause or worsen a fire.
Clearly signpost emergency exits and provide an evacuation plan on each flat door.
Always prioritise your safety when making decisions.
You and your guests should:
Know your building’s escape routes.
Leave the building immediately if a fire alarm sounds.
Call 999 if your safety is at risk.
Report any suspected faults with fire alarms, fire doors, or other safety systems.
Tell us if you’re concerned about your property’s safety.
Never tamper with or damage safety equipment.
Keep your hob, oven, and cooker hood clean to avoid fire risks.
Avoid letting rubbish build up.
Read the safety information we share with you.
You can learn more about your building’s fire safety here.
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