Ipswich property firm fined for 'putting lives at risk' after breaching fire safety regulations
An Ipswich property management company and its director have been sentenced following a prosecution brought by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service.
An Ipswich property management company and its director have been sentenced following a prosecution brought by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service.
Home from Home Property Management Ltd and company director Edward Ottley were sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court for a total of eight offences – four by the company for non-compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and four for the actions of Edward Ottley for failing to comply with the legislation.
Ottley, 62, of Tuddenham, and Home from Home, whose registered address is Pownall Road, Ipswich, were found guilty on June 6 in a Crown Court trial heard at Colchester Magistrates Court.
Ottley received a 10 month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to perform 120 hours of unpaid work.
Home from Home was fined £60,000.
Costs of £49,500 were awarded to Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), to be divided equally between Ottley and Home from Home.
A spokesperson for SFRS said:
“This sentence reflects the severity of the potential risk to residents from Home from Home’s actions had a fire occurred.
“SFRS Protection Officers actively work to ensure premises are compliant with fire safety legislation.
“The inadequate fire safety measures and management in this case could have resulted in serious injury or loss of life and we hope this will send a clear message to all managing agents of the importance of fire safety.
“SFRS is committed to working with those willing to address fire safety issues, but as an enforcing authority will not hesitate in prosecuting where lives are placed at risk.”
Councillor Steve Wiles, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Public Protection said:
“Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service rightly maintains the highest standards when it comes to public safety and I am pleased to see that the court has supported that position.
“The safety and wellbeing of the public is paramount, and when the actions of companies such as Home from Home undermine that it is only right that they are held to account.”
Home from Home Property Management Limited (HFH) manage the premises at 2-100 Wolsey Street, Ipswich.
In July 2017 it was established that aluminium composite cladding material - like that found to be the cause of the dramatic fire spread at the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy in London the previous month - was in use at the flats.
A fire risk assessment of the premises had been undertaken in 2017 by a company appointed by Home from Home, but it did not take into account the high fire risk posed to the residents by the cladding.
The fire risk assessor had been given inaccurate information by Home from Home in relation to the level of risk from the cladding.
When this became apparent, the assessor invalidated the fire risk assessment he had produced, advising Home from Home to arrange for a new assessment to be undertaken.
In 2019 officers from SFRS attended the premises and identified the fire risk assessment remained that of the original company, and the assessment still did not address the risk of the cladding.
Other areas of non-compliance with the legislation were also identified.
They related to ensuring the means of escape was safe, that automatic opening vents operated correctly, ensuring the premises was equipped with a suitable fire alarm system, and for ensuring residents knew what to do in the event of a fire to enable them to evacuate the building safely.
In August 2021, Home from Home appointed the services of a new fire risk assessor who corroborated the findings of SFRS in respect of the ongoing risk to residents.
The new fire risk assessor has worked to ensure there is no longer a significant risk to life and HFH is working towards the removal of the cladding with government funding support.