Oxford landlord Hans Raj, has been fined £12,000 for breaches including fire safety, at a property he rented to six people. He pleaded guilty to a variety of offences.

Raj did not have a licence to operate a house in multiple occupation (HMO) and after an inspection by Oxford County Council revealed that there was no fire door between the hallway and kitchen and no ‘adequate fire resistance’ under the stairs.

Raj admitted failing to register as a HMO and promised to ensure a means of escape from fire was maintained in good order and the internal structure of the home and ventilation was in good repair.

He admitted failing to reasonably ensure the occupiers were protected from injury, failing to keep windows and ventilation in good repair, and failing to ensure the common parts of the house were in good and clean repair.

The largest fine was £5,000 for not having a HMO licence, with fines for the other offences between £1,000 and £1,500.

He was ordered to pay £750 costs and a £120 victims’ surcharge.

Commercial buildings, non-domestic and multi-occupancy premises in England and Wales are already forced to undertake a 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment carried out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

While the overwhelming majority of premises do this, if the assessment is thought to have been carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person can face an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.

Original Source

Oxford Mail