Building managers fined over fire safety breaches in London flats
The managers of a block of flats in London have been fined thousands of pounds by Southwark Crown Court after numerous fire safety breaches were uncovered at the property.
Inspectors from London Fire Brigade visited the Gloucester Terrace flats in Paddington after a fire broke out in one of the flats. They found a number of quite serious fire safety hazards, including failures to lock the electrical intake cupboard and failure to install a proper fire alarm system.
The fire service also found that although a fire risk assessment had been carried out on the property, both the leaseholder and the managing agent of the flats had failed to act on its findings. Whether due to a lack of fire safety training or plain negligence, no emergency plan was made, nor were emergency lighting or self-closing fire doors installed.
Douglas and Gordon Ltd, the managing agent, was ordered to pay £100,000 in fines and 13,000 in court costs. Leasehold owner of Gloucester Terrace, Atomlynn Ltd, was fined £33,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,440.
Steve Turek, the assistant commissioner for fire safety regulation, said:
“London Fire Brigade will continue to take action against managing agents, lease owners or landlords who do not take their fire safety responsibilities seriously. Failure to comply with the law can, as this case has shown, result in a prosecution.”