West Sussex property company prosecuted for fire safety breaches
The breach was at a converted block of flats in Worthing
A property management company and its sole director have been ordered to pay a total of £1,588 after being found guilty of breaching the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Last week, Mark Sexton, the sole director of 10 Park Crescent Management (Worthing) Limited, was prosecuted by West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service for charges brought to the courtroom under the Fire Safety Order.
Mr Sexton, along with the company, were deemed responsible for the fire safety management of 10 Park Crescent, a converted block of flats in Worthing, West Sussex.
Brighton Magistrates Court heard that Mr Sexton had failed to respond to requests made by the fire service for information following an audit where fire safety issues had been identified.
Mr Sexton previously pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to respond to an Article 27 request for information under the Fire Safety Order at Crawley Magistrates Court before being sentenced by magistrates sitting in Brighton. The combined penalty reflects the court's acknowledgment of the seriousness of the breaches and the potential risk posed to residents.
Interim Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Dave Bray, said: “Fire safety regulations are in place for a reason and businesses with legal responsibility for fire safety management must adhere to these laws.
“We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this case and believe it serves as a strong reminder to any responsible persons that they must carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the risks in their premises.
“The courts have agreed that we were prevented from ensuring the fire safety standards in this residential building are being managed effectively. We will not allow companies to attempt to hide from their duties when our Fire Safety Regulators identify that the Fire Safety Order is not being complied with.”