A landlord has been ordered to pay over £20,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to breaches of fire safety legislation.
City of Westminster magistrates’ court fined the landlord £10,150 for seven breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The prosecution followed inspections of the property at 23 Streatham Common North Side in London on 17 April 2007 and 3 October 2007.
London Fire Brigade said the breaches included no fire safety procedures in place or a way of informing tenants about fire safety arrangements, storage blocking an escape route and smoke alarms which had been removed or had low batteries inside them. There was also no fire risk assessment for the premises.
An enforcement notice was served on the premises highlighting the work that needed to be carried out. Fire safety inspectors revisited the property on 3 October 2007 and found that that the notice had not been complied with.
Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety Regulation, Steve Turek, said: "Housing providers like the ‘Responsible Person’ in this case have to carry out a fire risk assessment and even more importantly act upon its findings in a timely manner. Landlords have to know their responsibilities to protect and inform their residents if a fire breaks out. The result of not taking appropriate action can have very serious consequences."
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