A landlord was recently fined £13,500 following a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into an accident where a man fractured his spine falling through a fire escape whilst trying to evade intruders. The HSE found that the landlord of the building had failed in its responsibility to maintain the fire escape. This error was compounded by the fact that the landlord was aware of the poor condition of the fire escape but had not cordoned off the fire escape until it was possible to fix it.
This case acts as a salutary reminder to landlords that even in financially difficult times, landlords have a duty to maintain their buildings and must take common sense steps if they find that the premises are not up to standard.
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