It has been announced that last week a landlord and the letting company he was a director for have been fined for not complying with fire safety legislation.
After a fire broke out in a basement flat in Harrogate that he managed in December 2012, he appeared in the Harrogate Magistrates court this week where he received his sentence.
Both the company, Rava Properties Limited, and the former director, Nigel Rudd, were fined and also charged for the prosecution costs, altogether amounting to over £13,000. The decision to take the matter to court was decided by the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority because of the level of seriousness of the case as two important articles of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 had failed to be met. This left those living in the premises at a huge risk.
You can read more on this story on the Fire Industry Association website.
As we have spoken about before in this blog, Fire Risk Assessments are critically important. Under the Regulatory Reform, businesses and multi occupancy premises in England and Wales are forced to abide by these rules and carry out the necessary assessments and safety measures. Failure to comply may not only result in unlimited fines like the case above, but could also land the Responsible Person with up to 2 years jail time!
Keybury provide an extensive fire safety service across Yorkshire – including Harrogate. From risk assessments, design and installation of the alarm system, providing fire extinguishers and emergency lights, and also covering the servicing and testing of the whole fire system. There is no excuse not to have your company or tenancy covered.
Don’t forget that domestic fire safety is also important. Our affordable BAFE approved systems will give you protection and peace of mind. More information on residential fire safety can be found on our site.