Landlord hit with £5k bill for safety breach

JON MACPHERSON

ALANDLORD has been hit with a £5,000 legal bill for breaching fire safety regulations after showing a ‘blatant disregard to his tenant’s safety’.

Laurence Daw, who is the landlord of Broadclough Mill in Bacup, was issued with an enforcement notice by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) after inspectors identified ‘sig- nificant contraventions’ of safety regulations.

The inspection revealed the Burnley Road mill, which had been separated into business units, had inadequate fire protection for fire escape routes, an inadequate emergency lighting and fire alarm system, poor emergency exit route signage, inadequate locks on fire exits, no fire risk assessment and ‘combustible materials’ in the communal fire escape route.

Daw, 30, was found guilty after a trial at Burn- ley Magistrates Court of failing to comply with the enforcement notice and was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £2,600 costs and a £400 victim surcharge.

After the hearing, LFRS said Daw, of Applecross Drive, Burnley, failed to attend the inspection in February 2015 and was issued with the notice.

A spokesperson said: “Although every effort was made to meet with Mr Daw at Broadclough Mill and assist him to ensure compliance with the enforcement notice by the specified dates, Mr Daw failed to attend on any occasion.

“Mr Daw eventually contacted the fire service on the day the enforce- ment notice should have been complied with in full, five months after it was issued. On further inspection of the mill by fire safety officers it was found that none of the works required to ensure the safety of the occupants had been completed.”

LFRS said during the trial Daw’s defence argued that he had never received the notice, however he did ‘not contest the enforcement notice’ or that the premises were in an ‘unsuitable condition with inadequate fire safety provision’.

Speaking after the trial, Tony Crook, LFRS group manager, said: “Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service will continue to focus our efforts and resources in providing advice and support to landlords and business owners that want it, but as with this case will adopt a robust enforcement approach to deal with those who compromise on safety particularly where they show such a blatant disregard to their tenant’s safety”.

‘None of the works required had been completed’