Fire alarm warning after landlord handed suspended prison sentence

Fire alarm warning after landlord handed suspended prison sentence

0:03 AM, 12th June 2024, About 4 months ago 3

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Landlords across the UK are being warned about the serious consequences of failing to meet fire safety regulations in their rental properties.

The call comes after a recent court case in Sheffield that saw landlord Zahir Ahmed being handed a suspended prison sentence and community service for fire safety violations at a property he owned.

The incident, which occurred in February 2022, involved a fire that trapped 11 people inside the building.

Everyone was rescued by firefighters but one of them sustained injuries during the blaze after a staircase collapsed.

Investigation revealed a lack of fire alarms

A subsequent South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue investigation revealed a lack of fire alarms, emergency lighting and proper fire doors in the property.

The single staircase which collapsed was the only escape route.

Now Phil Turtle, a fire risk assessment expert at Landlord Licensing & Defence, said: “Having a fire risk assessment, particularly for HMOs, is essential for landlords to meet their legal obligations and ensure the safety of their tenants.”

Fire safety regulations are in place to protect tenants from fire hazards and ensure safe escape routes in case of a fire.

Landlords who fail to comply with these regulations risk hefty fines and even imprisonment.

Why fire safety should be a top priority

Mr Turtle gives these reasons why fire safety should be a top priority for UK landlords.

  • Legal obligation: The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires landlords to take steps to minimise fire risk and ensure safe escape routes
  • Tenant safety: Fires can be deadly but by prioritising fire safety, landlords can help protect their tenants from harm
  • Financial repercussions: Neglecting fire safety regulations can lead to hefty fines and even imprisonment.

Landlords are urged to take proactive steps towards fire safety in their rented properties and should carry out regular fire risk assessments.

They should also install necessary safety equipment, such as fire alarms and fire doors, and educate tenants on fire safety procedures.

Safe escape routes for tenants

Mr Turtle said: “Landlords should develop a plan to mitigate these risks and ensure safe escape routes for tenants in case of a fire.

“By prioritising fire safety, landlords can create a safer environment for their tenants and avoid potential legal and financial repercussions.”

Landlord Licensing & Defence offer a free booklet to help landlords understand and meet their fire risk obligations to tenants.


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Non Resident LL

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10:12 AM, 12th June 2024, About 4 months ago

Personally I have no sympathy for the landlord and think a term behind bars would have been a much better sentence than a suspended.
Landlords like myself work hard to comply with the rules and usually go above and beyond, then we have people like Ahmed who think it ok to disregard rules and endanger life.
Easy to see why people detest us because of clowns like him.

Martin

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11:49 AM, 12th June 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Non Resident LL at 12/06/2024 - 10:12
100% agree. I spend time and money obeying the rules, which are largely correct.
I think time inside would have been the right result and sent a clear message to Landlords that just don't care.

DAMIEN RAFFERTY

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16:19 PM, 12th June 2024, About 4 months ago

I may well agree with the others comments however we need a full review of the Fire Safety advice given to the public.
Tenants at Grenfell were told to stay inside their flats.
Tenants are not trained fire fighters and don't have the equipment, knowledge or training to fight a fire. So fitting Fire extinguishers is to me bad advice.
Get out
Stay out
call the Fire Service out.
So turnlocks on exit doors, fire doors, emergency escape windows and emergency lighting and interlinked mains wired smoke alarms with battery back up.
Fire escape plan

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