Landlords pay £16,000 for breach of prohibition notice

22/02/2010

Two landlords have been fined £4000 each and ordered to pay £8000 costs for breaching a prohibition notice on a residential property.

Ralph Ricardo and Alistair Gordon of Sarum Homes Ltd pleaded guilty to the breach of the notice served under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 at Yeovil Magistrates Court, and asked for a similar offence to be taken into consideration on another property. They were sentenced at Taunton Crown Court on 12 February.

The conviction followed an audit in September 2008 of the property in Chard by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. This found serious concerns for public safety and a prohibition notice preventing the occupation of the property was issued. It was later found that 13 people were still living in the property.

The property was in the process of being renovated and the fire alarm and emergency lighting systems had not yet been commissioned. In addition, fire safety compartmentation had been breached which, said the fire authority, would allow fire to spread quickly throughout the building.

Group manager Chris Hole of Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service said:

"We are pleased at the outcome of this case. Mr Gordon and Mr Ricardo of Sarum Homes Ltd put the lives of many people at risk that had paid for accommodation in their premises. We do not issue these notices very often, but when they are, they are issued on premises where there is a serious and imminent threat to life from fire."