 |
| "This was a case of someone failing to understand their responsibility as a landlord" |
The landlord pleaded guilty to eight counts of breaching the Fire Safety Order 2005 in his three-storey property where the top two floors had been transformed into a number of flats.
The importance of businesses complying with regulations has been highlighted by the prosecution and fining of a landlord who was ordered to pay £8,500 for fire safety breaches.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service mounted the prosecution of Widnes businessman Antonio Meloni at Runcorn Magistrates Court after they discovered adequate fire risk assessments had not been carried out. The landlord pleaded guilty to eight counts of breaching the Fire Safety Order 2005 in his three-storey property where the top two floors had been transformed into a number of flats.
Fire services conducted a routine check of the premises and discovered blocked escape routes, locked fire escapes, as well as an inadequate fire alarm system, which prompted them to stop the flats from being used.
"This was a case of someone failing to understand their responsibility as a landlord to provide an adequate fire risk assessment on their properties, which ultimately could lead to a loss of life," commented Mark Abram, head of community fire protection. Commercial premises are legally required to carry out fire risk assessments in order to identify any potential risks.
