Fire safety for students living away at Uni

Pan fire

If you're a student living away from home, check out our fire safety tips to protect yourself from fire.

Student fire safety tips

Smoke alarms save lives! Your landlord must fit smoke alarms on each level of the house. Test them weekly. See information below about smoke alarms in rented accommodation.
Never leave cooking unattended. And keep the cooker clean - most fires in student properties are linked to cooking.
Tins and foil cause fires in microwaves - so leave them out.
Don't cook if you've been drinking alcohol - get a take-away instead.
Take extra care when frying with oil as this is an extremely common cause of fire. If one does occur NEVER put water on it as it will turn into a fireball. View more cooking safety tips.

Practice an escape route with your housemates, so that you know how to get out of the property if there's a fire. And make sure escape routes are kept clear.

Take extra care with cigarettes and smoking materials. If you smoke, make sure you've extinguished your cigarette properly before you go to sleep. And never smoke in bed.

Don't overload plug sockets. And switch off electrical appliances, like mobile chargers and hair straighteners, when not in use.

Keep candles away from flammable surfaces or textiles such as curtains, TV sets or bath tubs and never leave them unattended. Always remember to extinguish them properly before going to sleep.
E-cigarettes safety advice

REMEMBER: If a fire starts get out, stay out and dial 999

Smoke alarms in rented accommodation

Smoke alarms save lives - make sure you have a working smoke alarm on every floor of your home.

New safety laws came into force in 2015 making it compulsory for all landlords to fit smoke alarms on every floor of rented homes, as well as offering protection against carbon monoxide poisoning.

Landlords must check the alarms are working at the start of every new tenancy. And there is a potential penalties of up to £5,000 if they don't comply.

Tenants are required to check the alarms are in working order and notify the landlord if they identify any problems.

More information about smoke alarms: