Tenant Health and Safety

Management Approach

Ensuring the long-term health and safety of our tenants is paramount at Vonovia That is why Vonovia aims to manage its portfolio efficiently and to make it optimal and livable for customers. In addition to preserving the building structure with maintenance measures, the primary target is to permanently minimize the risk of hazards by complying with all safety regulations without exception.

To ensure our tenants’ health and safety, we use a management approach based on a comprehensive safety concept. This has been set out in a Group guideline on our operator obligations, meaning that it is therefore valid for the entire Group and is firmly anchored in our business processes. It covers inspections, maintenance and immediate rectification of defects to ensure safety in and around our residential property. As a preventive measure, we carry out regular safety inspections and technical checks in order to identify and mitigate potential risks early on. These checks are carried out by trained staff using special checklists in line with the latest safety standards. We regularly carry out risk analyses in order to identify and assess potential dangers. These analyses help us to implement preventive and corrective measures in a targeted way. The results of these checks are directly incorporated into our maintenance and refurbishment plans. We also encourage our tenants to get actively involved and provide feedback so we can continuously improve safety measures and adapt them to residents’ needs.

Developing fire safety concepts and conducting regular inspections for hazardous substances are integral components of our safety protocols. We collaborate closely with local fire departments and municipal authorities to ensure thorough and regular fire safety inspections of our facilities.Our employees receive  regular training on topics such as building safety and fire safety. In addition to conveying technical knowledge, the training is designed to raise awareness and improve understanding of the importance of complying with safety standards. Safety briefings are provided by the occupational safety department once a year. Recurring external audits (TÜV inspections) of technical equipment such as elevators and drinking water systems are also carried out. The inspection intervals vary depending on the piece of equipment in question: While elevators are inspected by external experts on an annual basis, there are intervals of two years (e.g., for fire extinguisher systems) to six years (e.g., for electrical installations) for preventive fire safety equipment. As there are numerous inspections being carried out at different times, this means that the buildings are subject to continuous monitoring. Corresponding risk assessments are also carried out as part of these audits.   

Emergency plans and procedures are established and regularly tested to ensure the safety of our tenants in the event of an incident. . These plans encompass evacuation procedures, first aid measures and the prompt rectification of safety defects.   

Every incident that affects our tenants’ health or safety is thoroughly investigated. Corrective measures are implemented to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. We continuously monitor all aspects of performance relating to health and safety. The Management Board receives quarterly updates on pertinent safety matters through reports issued by the central technology department.  

The security of our tenants’ data is also hugely important to us. Click here to learn more.