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Building Safety Act

What’s the Building Safety Act? 
The Building Safety Act is a new law in England and Wales that sets up rules to make sure buildings are safe. So, it’s very important to us. There's more detail in another set of rules called 'Statutory Instruments'. 
There’s also special rules for tall buildings. That means those over 18m tall or with 7+ floors.
In line with the new law, we’ll keep up-to-date documents of how the building is designed, built, taken care of and changed. 
We’ll also keep you informed and ask for your input when needed. That’s why we’ve got a Resident Engagement Strategy. 
This is just one of many laws we follow. Your safety is our priority. We take every step, and give you the information you need, to keep you safe while living with us.
Resident Engagement Strategy
What’s our Resident Engagement Strategy? 
This is how you stay close to the safety of your student home. We asked our residents to share thoughts on content and how this is delivered to you. We took these ideas, the new law and conversations with external experts to create 3 key strategy aims: 1.To engage with residents 2.To keep residents informed 3.To empower residents to share concerns 
We're confident in the safety of our buildings and welcome your questions. These could be about any property and any of the areas covered in the Act: 
  • Electrical Safety 
  • Fire Safety 
  • Structural Safety 
  • Resident Engagement Strategy

Engage

We’ll engage with you through our website and digital platforms, such as email and the MyUnite app. 
This means information is always available and accessible. Your building’s General Manager or team will speak to you if we need to share something in-person. 
  • We’ll let you know how we’re keeping you safe and what we’ll do if something goes wrong. 
  • If there’s an issue in the building that’s included in the Act, we'll tell you about it through our digital channels. That includes sharing what it means for you and what we’re doing about it. 
  • Whenever we need to make changes to the strategy, we'll invite you to help. We’ll do this via email, direct conversation, surveys, our Resident Ambassadors, and our Customer Panel. 
  • At any time, you can view our responsibilities, as well as yours, to keep your home safe by visiting our Home Charter.

Inform

We’ll let you know about your property's safety while considering accessibility needs. 
  • We’ll speak to you about possible changes or updates to this strategy. 
  • You can ask for information about your property, and we'll give it to you as soon as possible. If there’s an issue, we'll tell you how we're dealing with it. 
  • When we talk to you about your property, we'll use easy-to-understand language. If we give you technical documents, we'll add explanations, so you know what it means for you.

Empower

You have everything you need to keep yourself safe. This includes information about fire evacuation and how to prevent a fire. 
  • Got a question or concern? You can talk to your properties General Manager. Their contact details are shared in our reception areas. You can also email us at buildingsafetyact@unitestudents.com 
  • You can also give us feedback or make a complaint by completing our Building Safety Form. We'll respond to complaints within 10 days. 
  • You can also contact the Housing Ombudsman if you have complaints about your building under the Building Safety Act. 
  • We’ll send you a survey to get your feedback anytime we improve our strategy for as long as you live with us.

Responsibilities

Our Responsibilities:

  • We’ll tell you if we find any issue with a property’s structure, electrical, or safety systems. We’ll also share how we’re keeping you safe while we fix it. 
  • We’ll share fire safety and prevention information with you. 
  • We’ll carry our regular Fire Risk Assessments. 
  • We’ll regularly make sure safety systems are working, such as smoke detectors, fire alarms, emergency lighting, fire doors and escape routes. 
  • If we find a safety system fault, we’ll respond within 2 hours and fix them as soon as we can. 
  • While working on our safety systems, we’ll have different methods to manage risks, such as increased patrols, or installing temporary systems. 
  • We’ll remove any item from communal areas which may cause or escalate a fire and we’ll keep clear escape routes. 
  • We’ll have emergency exit routes identified clearly and an evacuation plan by every flat door. 
  • We’ll keep your safety as our priority when making decisions.

Your Responsibilities:

  • You and your guests will know the escape routes in your property. 
  • If there’s a fire alarm, you’ll leave the building. 
  • If you feel your safety is at risk, call 999. 
  • You’ll report any found or suspected faults with your safety systems such as the fire alarms or fire doors. 
  • You’ll tell us if you’re concerned about the safety of your property. 
  • You won't tamper with or damage safety equipment. 
  • You’ll keep your hob, oven and cooker hood clean to prevent fire. 
  • You won’t let rubbish build up in the property. 
  • You’ll read information we share about building safety. 
  • You can find out more about your property’s fire safety here.