A Birmingham landlord has been handed fines totalling £19,418 after it was found an HMO under his ownership had no fire alarms or display notices indicating escape routes. The owner, Mr Amrik Singh Gill, had also failed to apply for an HMO licence and ensure that there were adequate water and drainage systems. Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhood…
Approved documents accompanying the Building Regulations in England and Wales make specific reference to the use of sprinklers (Regulations for Scotland and Northern Ireland differ slightly). For life safety, new residential blocks over 30m high must be fitted with sprinklers to meet Approved Document B standards. Similarly an uncompartmented area in a shop or self storage building over 2000 square…
If you are responsible for a Cooling Tower. Ensure you have notified your local authority. Read more information here.
An ex-fireman fined for renting out flats that were fire hazards today admitted the buck stopped with him – but claimed: “I’m no rogue landlord.” Adrian Webb and wife Lynn were accused of putting tenants’ lives at risk after renting out flats in a converted house in Rice Lane, Walton, that Liverpool council said had no fire alarms or fire…
A self-employed plumber has been fined for safety failings that led to an explosion at a domestic property in Cambrian Way, Haslingden. Burnley Magistrates’ Court heard how, in May 2014, Lee Barrett failed to put in place the appropriate safety devices when removing an existing water tank for a loft conversion. He had, effectively, created a closed water system combined…
New research, commissioned by safety charity Electrical Safety First, suggests that landlords and letting agents may be putting their student tenants’ lives at risk, by failing to fix serious safety hazards. CFOA is concerned at the findings of the research, which found that many landlords and letting agents ignored safety concerns reported to them, such as exposed wiring, repeatedly tripping…
View this useful guide for property landlords regarding Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations.
Total UK Limited have been fined £1.4 million after a major fire led to the death of a worker at an oil refinery in North Lincolnshire. Twenty-four year old Robert Greenacre from Grimsby was working near a crude oil distillation unit just before the fire broke out at the Lindsey Oil Refinery (TLOR) in Immingham on 29th June 2010. The Health…
If you have paying guests in your house, the fire safety law applies to you, and you must take action. View information on complying with fire safety law.
A landlord in Oxford has been reprimanded for a second time within the space of a year over the safety conditions of property under his ownership. Mr Jeffeth Juniour Latchman admitted seven charges in court, receiving fines totalling £7500. An inspection at one property uncovered a number of fire safety breaches, such as the absence of smoke detectors and obstructions…