4 min read · June 2026
Dorm safety checklist: what to verify before you sign
Fire exits, locks, CCTV, and flood history — the safety checks most students skip until something goes wrong.
Building security
- Is there a 24-hour guard or front desk? Ask how visitors are logged and whether there’s a curfew on entry.
- Look for working CCTV at the entrance, stairwells, and parking — not just a sticker.
- Find the fire exits and check they’re unlocked and unobstructed. A fire exit chained shut is a dealbreaker.
Your room
- Test the door lock yourself, and ask whether locks are re-keyed between tenants.
- Check windows close and latch — especially on ground and 2nd floors.
- Look for smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher on the floor. Note the nearest one.
The neighborhood
- Walk the route from the dorm to campus at night, not just during the day — lighting and foot traffic change a lot.
- Ask current tenants (in the unidorms.ph chat or in person) about safety after dark.
- Check flood history for the street; Sampaloc, España, and parts of Taft flood during heavy rain.
Paperwork that protects you
- Get a written lease with the address, rent, deposit, and house rules spelled out — never a verbal-only agreement.
- Keep receipts for every payment, digital or physical.
- On unidorms.ph, every host is KYC-verified and you get a 24-hour move-in dispute window — use it to inspect before you’re locked in.
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