Man told to take down ‘fire risk’ lights

A man was forced to take down his Christmas lights after they were branded a ‘huge fire risk’.

Following a tough year, Jonathan Bulezuik decided to spread some festive cheer in his apartment block in Millfield Close, Rustington, by putting up a 20-metre stretch of lights around his flat and part of a communal ground floor area, having told the residents’ association.

He said the response from neighbours had been largely positive – but on November 26, Hobdens, the property management company, demanded he take down the lights as they were a fire risk.

The furious 44-year-old key worker said: “It is the miserable few ruining it for the happy many.”

In the last two years, Jonathan has hung Christmas lights on bushes in front of his flat – but they had been cut back this year, so he hung them on the building using stick-on hooks which caused no damage to the facade.

He refuted claims they were a fire risk, as the string of LED lights were only five-watts.

Jonathan shared his story on Facebook, with hundreds of residents voicing support.

According to Jonathan, Hobdens said if he did not remove the lights in 24 hours after getting the letter, they would be taken down – so he did it on Friday morning, along with lights he had put on a Christmas tree next to the front doors of the block.

They also asked him to take down a light in his window as it was an ‘eyesore’.

He believed a complaint had been made to Hobdens, but did not know who had made it.

In his written response to them, he said ‘in a time when the country needs a little bit of happiness’ this was ‘downright miserable’.

Speaking on behalf of the building freeholder, Hobdens said: “Whilst our client understands that the removal of the lights from the fabric of the building may cause upset and comment, the safety of the residents is our client’s (and ours as managing agents) number-one priority and will do everything it can to reduce any risk to residents.”