Fire safety: Tenants’ lives put at ‘serious risk’ by landlord

A landlord who put tenants’ lives at serious risk in due to lax fire safety in Reading has been fined a total of £177,000.

Crestcourt Properties Ltd was fined by Reading Magistrates, where Mr Brotherton, the Company Owner, pleaded guilty to four charges under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Officers from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service found a number of serious issues when they entered the property in Reading, which was being occupied as a house of multiple occupation (HMO).

The inspection highlighted a number of failings including:

• Fire alarms not working;
• A lack of sufficient fire doors;
• An external escape route in a poor state of repair.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Simon Jefferies, commented: “Our priority is to ensure the safety of the people of Berkshire. We will always work with landlords to maintain fire safety standards in premises and prosecution is the last resort.

“However, we hope that the significant level of this fine will send a clear message to all property owners that they have a duty to keep our communities safe and if they put anyone at risk by breaking the law, we won’t hesitate to prosecute.”

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