Approximately 8.000 fires occur in private homes every year. The damage caused by fire is often very dramatic, as the whole house can catch fire within a mere five minutes, with temperatures reaching extreme heights. The resulting toxic smoke can change a building into an unrecognizable maze.

The most common causes of fire are:

• Electric appliances
• Do-it-yourself jobs
• Smoking
• Christmas decorations
• Barbecues

Regulations in Utrecht

The Utrecht municipality has supplemented the nationwide regulations with stringent demands in connection with student houses. According to the municipality, there is a higher risk of fire in a building with more than five occupants. The regulations therefore apply to living units with six or more occupants. The building must comply with extra demands, and the lessor must have a user's licence. 

How does SSH comply?

We make sure that all living space meets the requirements, including all extra demands for fire safety precautions. Besides these preventive measures, we also carry out periodic checks. This means that a SSH employee may arrive at the doorstep without warning in order to check whether all escape routes are being kept clear.

Keep escape routes empty

Corridors, hallways and stairways are escape routes in case of fire. When fire breaks out, the electricity usually shuts down immediately. Besides, visibility almost immediately becomes very poor due to rapid smoke formation. It is therefore imperative that all escape routes be kept clear at all times, and must never be used as a storage place. It is for this reason that we do regular checks to ensure that the escape routes are indeed kept clear.

If we find anything in the escape routes, we will remove them instantly. Your belongings can be retrieved from the SSH at a price. Retrieval of a bike will cost € 12,50, and for all other belongings it is € 5,-  per article. All confiscated belongings will be kept for a maximum of 4 weeks before being thrown away. 

Escape plan

In the case of fire breaking out, you will have to be able to exit the building as quickly as possible. If it is not possible to do so via the front door, an alternative route will have to be found, which is often via the roof over to a neighbouring roof, or else via a fire escape ladder along the facade of the building. We always hang an escape plan up in each Stadspand (City-centre building) and each living-unit, consisting of a map of the unit and possible escape routes. Make sure to check the best way to escape in case of emergency.

Fire extinguisher

If you discover the beginnings of a small fire, you can extinguish it yourself. However, for student's living-units containing more than five rooms, fire extinguishers have been installed on each floor. This appliance is sealed, and fitted with a lock pin.

• Pull out lock pin
• Aim spout
• Squeeze handle

Put out the fire and report this to SSH as soon as possible. We will have the extinguisher re-filled.

If the fire-extinguisher is used when there is no fire, the tenants will be presented with the bill. We check regularly to see that the lock pins are still in place, so if we find that an extinguisher has been used without a fire having been reported, the entire group will be held liable. The costs will be € 50,-.