The importance for landlords for flats or HMO’s to keep up with fire regulations is vital.
Not knowing your responsibilities as a landlord or failing to ensure the safety of your tenants can land you in court. A local council has ordered a private landlord to pay over £10,000 in fines and expenses for fire safety violations at a hotel in Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Mr Amonbir Mander’s London Hotel was being used as a ‘house of multiple occupation’ (HMO). Officers conducted an inspection of the premises in July 2022 and discovered that the facility, which was licenced to hold 20 tenants, “fell below acceptable safety standards.” The high fire safety risk prompted Stroud District Council’s Environmental Health Officers to prosecute Mr Mander for endangering the lives of the building’s residents.
Mr Mander pleaded guilty to violating safety requirements at Cheltenham Magistrates Court on 3 April 2023. He was eventually forced to pay fines and fees totaling £10,478. More precisely, the hotel owner was fined £4,608 for failing to follow safety requirements. He was also sentenced to pay £1,568 in investigative expenses and £4,112.50 in legal fees to the council. He was also sentenced to pay a £190 victim surcharge.
Councillor Mattie Ross, Chair of Stroud District Council’s Housing Committee, stated:
“This prosecution should serve as a warning to landlords in the Stroud district who fail to meet required standards that we will take legal action to protect the health and safety of private sector tenants.”
“All landlords have a responsibility to their tenants.” Prosecutions are costly and time-consuming, and I appreciate our Environmental Health Officers’ diligence in this successful prosecution.”
Councillor Lucas Schoemaker, the committee’s vice chair, added:
“I strongly urge all tenants to contact the council if they believe their housing is unsafe.” The Stroud District Council website has information for both tenants and landlords.”
Mr Mander is reported to have sold the hotel prior to his appearance in court. According to the council, the new owners have been “working closely with council officers to improve standards” since then. The council noted that it receives a lot of complaints regarding the standard of private accommodation each year, using this recent successful prosecution as a warning to other landowners and responsible persons.
If you are a landlord of an HMO or a block of flats and are not certain of your legal requirements regarding fire safety, contact London Fire Associates today for honest impartial advice. We have extensive knowledge of fire safety and our specialist London fire risk assessors will be happy to carry out a fire risk assessment for you anywhere in London. Contact us today to see how we can help you.
