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Flats closed down due to serious risk
of fire
LIVERPOOL City Council has secured an
emergency closure of privately rented flats due to serious concerns over fire
safety. Staff from the Landlord Licensing team inspected the property, on Grey
Road in Walton, on Wednesday, 27 September 2017, during a compliance visit, following
concerns raised by Councillors, Police and neighbours over anti social
behaviour.
They found smoke detectors not working, problems with fire doors and a dangerous
electricity meter.
The large semi detached house is converted into 6 flats, and the team found
that the automatic fire detection providing protection to the common areas of
the property was defective and completely disconnected from the electrical
supply. It would not have provided any warning of a fire in the property, and
threatened to prevent tenants escaping from the upper floors.
The fire detection in some individual flats was not working, further increasing
the risk in the property as a large blaze could have developed in an individual
flat behind closed doors without being detected.
Defects with the fire doors would have meant that there was a risk that smoke
and flames may block the escape route. Each door also required a key to open
from the inside adding further escape time in the event of a fire, and missing
self closers would have meant they could have remained open in an emergency,
further allowing smoke and fire to spread in the property. In addition, they
found that the electrical meter had been bypassed meaning a risk from damaged
and defective wiring.
Councillor Frank Hont, Cabinet member for housing, said:- "This house was
a potential death trap and was putting tenants at serious risk of injury, or
even death. We used our powers under Landlord Licensing to inspect it and
secured a closure order. We are determined to drive up the standard of private
rented accommodation in this City and will not hesitate to take action when we
find landlords putting their tenants at risk."
Other problems included:- faulty heating, broken windows, damp and mould, as well
as a poorly maintained exterior.
The Council's Housing Enforcement Team secured a closure notice by the end of
the day and the housing options service is supporting tenants into alternative
accommodation.
The landlord will be instructed to carry out remediation work.
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