The penalty for ignoring enforcement advice

It really does not pay to ignore enforcement notices as one hairdressing salon in London recently found out, after failing to deal with the requirements of an enforcement notice service under the Fire Safety Order 2005, resulting in fines and costs of £4,000.

Following a visit from the Fire Service in March 2007 and a number of faults were found at the salon including no emergency lighting in the basement, no fire alarm and no smoke detection system.

Enforcement notices were served allowing but on the return inspection in July 2007, no work had been completed.

The Judge noted that the offences were serious breaches of fire regulations and that the defendant had a history of non-compliance. She continued that had there been a fire at The Cutting Room and Beauty Basement, there was a possibility of someone dying due to the lack of fire precautions.

Thames Magistrates’ Court fined the owner, Mustafa Ismail, £4,000 for nine breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

This is a shining example of how not to deal with enforcement problems, for further advice on how to deal with enforcement challenges are available on our enforcement challenges

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