Is Your Home Really Safe? 5 Checks Every Homebuyer Should Make After Satya Niketan Collapse

When we buy a home, we tend to ask the obvious questions first. Can I afford the EMI? Is the location right? How much will the property appreciate? Is the school, office or metro nearby?

But there is one question that should come before all of these: Is the home itself safe? The collapse of a five-storey building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, which claimed seven lives, is a stark reminder of why this question cannot be treated as a formality. The building was reportedly at least 55 years old and had undergone renovation before being occupied predominantly by students. Authorities have been examining the role of ongoing construction work and water accumulation in the basement.

Says Atul Monga, CEO & Co-founder, BASIC Home Loan: “We also have to recognise a larger housing context. In fact, the Indian student accommodation market is expected to hit $828.93 billion by 2031 as per Mordor Intelligence. This indicates the scale of accommodation required as more students move to cities for higher education. Increasingly, this pressure extends beyond student housing. India’s rapidly urbanising population is creating demand for affordable, rental and first-time housing across cities.”

But whether we are talking about a family buying its first home, a young professional renting an apartment or a student moving into a PG, affordability cannot come at the cost of safety. Here are five checks every homebuyer or renter should make.

1. Check What You Are Actually Buying

A property being available for sale or rent does not automatically mean it is approved for the way it is being used. Check the sanctioned building plan, occupancy certificate and applicable permissions. If it is a PG, hostel or a property that has been converted into multiple units, verify whether its current use is authorised.

A Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) survey of 2,453 PG accommodations across the Capital found significant compliance gaps. Only 31 buildings, or 1.2 per cent, had a Delhi Fire Service NOC, while building plans had been sanctioned for just 729 properties, or less than 30 per cent. Only eight buildings had structural stability certificates. The survey was carried out in all 12 zones of MCD after the Delhi High Court took cognisance of this incident when the Satya Niketan building collapsed.

This data is only about PGs and not the entire housing market. But they point to a larger issue: documentation and safety cannot be treated as paperwork to verify after choosing a home. They have to be part of the decision itself.

2. Do Not Let Interiors Distract From The Structure

A well-designed apartment can still sit inside an ageing or poorly maintained structure. Ask about the building’s age, structural inspections, major renovations and any alterations to walls, columns, slabs or basements. Look for persistent dampness, water seepage, significant cracks, exposed reinforcement or signs of repeated structural repairs.

“This becomes particularly important with older properties. The independent assessment cannot give you details on a site visit or sales brochure, which a qualified structural engineer can. The Satya Niketan episode is also a reminder that just refurbishing an old building does not necessarily make it safer. Any major structural changes require adequate technical supervision,” says Monga.

3. Make Fire Safety Non-Negotiable

Homebuyers routinely check parking, power backup, lifts and amenities. Emergency exits should receive the same attention. Check whether staircases and exits are accessible, fire extinguishers and alarms are functional, and the property has the applicable fire clearance.

In larger residential buildings, buyers should also understand evacuation routes and whether fire-fighting systems are regularly maintained. For a family, a student or a young professional living away from home, knowing what happens during an emergency should be as important as knowing the rent or EMI.

4. Understand How The Building Is Being Used

Safety is also about density. A building designed for a certain number of residents can face very different pressures if rooms are subdivided, additional floors are added, or common areas are converted into living spaces.

“Ask how many people occupy the building, whether any unauthorised extensions exist and whether basements, terraces, corridors or parking areas are being used differently from their approved purpose. This matters especially in high-density urban housing, where demand can quickly change how a property is used,” advises Monga.

5. Think Beyond Today’s Price

The cheapest property is not necessarily the most affordable one. A home with unresolved legal issues, poor construction quality, inadequate fire safety or high maintenance requirements can carry costs that only become visible after purchase. This is where housing decisions need to evolve. We need to look at cost, compliance, construction quality and long-term safety together.

India needs more housing. It needs more affordable housing. It also needs more student and rental housing as people increasingly move for education and employment. But the goal cannot simply be to create more units. We need housing that people can afford, verify and trust. Because the real value of a home is not just in the roof over our heads. It is in the security that the roof provides.