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Landlady fined £200,000 after death of tenant in house fire (6 May 2015)
Date: 06/05/2015
Kingston Crown Court in south London has fined a landlady £160,00 with £40,000, costs after a tenant died in a property where fire broke out.
Social housing publisher 24Dash.com reports that landlady Surinder Rana was found guilty of four offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – all relating to a house in multiple occupation in Cromwell Road, Hounslow, southwest London.
The blaze in 2011 affected the ground floor, first floor and loft of the property and required the attendance of four fire tenders and 20 firefighters.
Several tenants managed to escape from the house – but Mr Sukhi Singh was found in a heavily smoke-logged kitchen on the ground floor.
Mr Singh was taken to hospital where he died shortly afterwards.
The house was inspected by fire safety officers on the day of the blaze and they found that it would not have been possible for tenants to evacuate the premises quickly and safely – and no proper fire risk assessment was in place for the property.
The property also had no fire detectors, smoke alarms or firefighting equipment.
The Fire Brigade issued a prohibition notice on the house and the house next door.
After the hearing on Friday (02/05/15), London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety, Neil Orbell, said:
“Landlords have a responsibility to keep their tenants safe from fire – and if they are ignoring those responsibilities and putting the people living in their properties at risk, we will not hesitate to prosecute.”
Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors
Duncan Lewis housing solicitors can advise rental tenants, social housing tenants and landlords on a wide range of housing issues – including landlords’ health and safety obligations.
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For expert legal advice on housing law, contact Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 020 7923 4020.