Fire Safety Failings in Student Lettings

Fire Safety Failings in Student Lettings housing 23 students has resulted in a substantial £150,000 fine, along with £40,000 in costs. Further to this, the Company Director was handed a three-month prison sentence (suspended for 12 months) and ordered to pay £5000 in costs.

The lettings company was fined for serious fire safety failures, including:

• Failure to have a suitable fire risk assessment in place
• No fire detection system
• No emergency lighting
• Lack of safe means of escape from the premises

The fire escape route from the premises was via a staircase that had an industrial laundry on one of the landings.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue issued a Prohibition Notice. Improvements were not made, despite an extended period being allowed for the work and so prosecution ensued for five breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.