22nd June 2022

Landlord Found Guilty Of Multiple Fire Safety Breaches

What’s Happened?

The Landlord of two properties in South Wales has recently been found guilty of 21 offences relating to fire safety following the conclusion of a week-long Jury trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

The offences were significant to life safety, numerous fire safety breaches were identified which included:-

• Failure to maintain working fire alarms and emergency lighting systems (both essential life safety measures in residential buildings). 
• Failure to keep escape routes clear 
• A lack of measures in place to prevent fire and smoke from spreading throughout the property.
• Failure to undertake a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment at the premises 

The prosecution arose following a routine inspection of the properties by officers from the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

During the inspections carried out by the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, conditions in one of the properties were found to be so dangerous that a Prohibition Notice was immediately served, effectively closing the building and making it a criminal offence to occupy certain flats. However, it was discovered that this Prohibition Notice had been breached when, during a subsequent inspection, evidence was found proving that people were still using the flats as accommodation.

In Court 

During the hearing, the Jury heard how the fire precautions in the premises were described as ‘wholly inadequate.’ 

Summing up – the Judge expressed the view that the Landlord had “buried his head in the sand… [and] simply not addressed” crucial fire safety requirements, despite the Fire and Rescue Service’s formal notices explaining exactly what work needed to be done and setting timescales for each issue to be complied with.

The Landlord was subsequently found guilty and is due to be sentenced next month.

Protecting businesses From Fire

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires duty-holders of non-domestic premises in England and Wales to undertake a Fire Risk Assessment of their premises.

A Fire Risk Assessment is a report compiled specific to a non-domestic premises that documents the duty holder’s identification of pertinent fire risks, and how those risks have been reduced by the implementation of suitable ‘control measures’.

A Fire Risk Assessment should be bespoke to the environment of the duty-holder and take into account any relevant guidance issued by the regulator to address how the safety of ‘relevant persons’ will be managed in the event of a fire.

At Lighthouse, we are 3^rd party accredited and registered on the Fire Safety Register as having the necessary competencies to provide Fire Risk Assessment services. If you have any queries in this regard, don’t hesitate to call our advice line today on 0330 303 5228 or email us at info@lighthouseriskservices.co.uk