A North London landlord has been left shaken after discovering a London-based fire risk assessor had allegedly botched their communal area inspection, potentially leaving them vulnerable to costly fines and even prosecution. The property owner's experience serves as a stark warning to landlords across the UK: verify the credentials of your fire risk assessors and ensure they are sticking to their brief.
The landlord, who owns a terraced property divided into two self-contained flats in North London, claimed that the assessor had failed to complete a full inspection, neglecting to enter the ground floor flat. The report issued was riddled with inaccuracies, including an incorrect classification of the property as an "additional House in Multiple Occupation" (HMO), which could have led to severe consequences for the landlord.
The assessor also made unsubstantiated claims about the absence of essential safety documents, such as a Gas Safety certificate and up-to-date electrical inspection report. However, it emerged that these were already in place. Furthermore, the report recommended installing a "mist" system – akin to a sprinkler – in one of the first-floor bedrooms, despite the property having a gas cooker rather than an electric one.
But perhaps most concerning was the assessor's failure to document existing hard-wired emergency lighting and smoke alarms in communal hallways, as well as smoke alarms on all levels of the property. The landlord later discovered that the assessor had even sent a follow-up letter proposing additional services – including a door survey – despite the property not being an HMO.
A subsequent assessment by a different professional yielded a clean report with no issues, highlighting the stark contrast in professional conduct. This incident is a timely reminder for landlords to be vigilant when engaging fire risk assessors and to challenge any recommendations that seem unjustified or excessive.