In large cities such as Hanoi, boarding houses and mini-apartments are developing strongly, with high occupancy density, posing stricter management requirements for fire prevention and fighting. Recently, Decree 69/2026/ND-CP was issued, amending and supplementing a number of regulations on sanctioning administrative violations in the field of fire prevention and fighting and rescue.
The new regulation increases penalties for violations of fire safety, adds many penalized acts and expands the sanctioning authority for local authorities. This is the basis for functional forces to strictly handle cases of delay.
Accordingly, landlords and mini-apartment owners are required to comply with a series of strict technical standards such as: Electrical systems must ensure safety, basic fire prevention and fighting equipment must be fully equipped and maintained periodically, buildings must have a second safe escape route, and operating managers must be thoroughly trained in professional skills. Depending on the scale and area, many buildings are required to carry out the appraisal and acceptance step of fire prevention and fighting to be eligible for legal operation.
Hanoi City Police has also issued Plan No. 83/KH-CAHN-ANKT on inspecting law compliance for business organizations and individuals in the area. Out of nearly 10,000 establishments expected to be reviewed in the second quarter of 2026, boarding houses and mini-apartments account for a large number. This is considered the largest-scale general inspection in recent times to clearly identify loopholes in management, promptly rectify and strictly handle violations.
Faced with this drastic spirit, the awareness of landlords and mini-apartment owners has clearly changed.
Recorded at a mini-apartment in alley 1194 Lang street, this facility owner has proactively carefully researched the detailed regulations on legal conditions as well as the list of mandatory equipment for each type of housing.
The change from the homeowners has brought a clear sense of security to tenants. Renting a room in a mini-apartment with a price of 4.5 million VND/month, Ms. Den Thi Huong (Lang ward, Hanoi) expressed her satisfaction when the homeowner proactively installed a modern automatic fire fighting system. Ms. Huong said that during her life here, the alarm system was regularly tested and operated periodically. The homeowner's serious investment in fire prevention is the main reason why she decided to stick with it for a long time, reducing the feeling of insecurity if she unfortunately encounters a fire.
With the specific characteristics of a locality with a large concentration of schools and businesses, leading to a very large demand for renting rooms for students and workers, fire prevention and fighting safety assurance in Lang ward is always focused on by functional forces.
According to Major Bui Van Vu - Deputy Head of the Area Police Team of Lang Ward Police - due to the specific nature of the area with a high potential risk of fire and explosion, even a small mistake can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, in addition to the review work, functional forces have promoted direct propaganda at schools, residential areas and through local communication systems.
The reality of fire cases shows that the first few minutes when a fire just broke out are the golden time to save people and limit property damage. Therefore, the Ward Police have coordinated to organize training sessions and drills on fire fighting plans close to reality in boarding houses located deep in small alleys, where professional fire trucks cannot access.
Strictly complying with fire prevention and fighting regulations at boarding houses and mini-apartments is currently an urgent requirement. The combination of strict sanctions, strict inspection and people's self-awareness will contribute to pushing back the risk of fire and protecting the safe life of the community.
