In the Courts: Recent Fire Safety Prosecutions of Landlords and Property Owners
Fire and rescue services are prosecuting landlords and property owners who ignore their fire safety duties, and the penalties are rising. In the last two months alone, cases reported by the Fire Protection Association have led to suspended prison sentences, a £200,000 company fine and costs running into tens of thousands of pounds.
Every few months we'll pick out recent cases that matter to landlords, HMO owners, holiday let owners and managing agents, and explain what they mean for you. The common thread in almost every case is simple: no suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, and warnings that weren't acted on.
1. Converted chapel and hall flats, Lancashire: suspended prison sentence and £200,000 company fine
A landlord and his property company were sentenced in September 2026 after Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service found serious failings at two converted buildings in Darwen and Bacup.
What was wrong
No suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, blocked escape routes, damaged fire doors, missing fire-resisting glazing, and fire alarms switched off or without power.
The outcome
The landlord received a 12-month suspended prison sentence and an £8,652 fine. His company was fined £200,000, with £37,293 in costs awarded to the fire service.
Why it matters
Converted buildings are not a grey area. If you own or manage flats in a converted property, the Fire Safety Order applies and a proper fire risk assessment is the starting point.
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Source: Fire & Risk Management Journal, FPA, 5 October 2026
2. Rooms above a restaurant, Bishop's Stortford: 14 months suspended and proceeds of crime action
A restaurant owner converted the floors above his premises into sleeping accommodation for up to 15 short-term occupants, charging around £500 a month, without planning or building control approval.
What was wrong
No fire detection, missing fire doors, poor fire separation and inadequate means of escape. He continued to let the rooms after Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service served a Prohibition Notice, ignoring warnings for around 18 months.
The outcome
At St Albans Crown Court in August 2026 he received a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation proceedings have also begun, meaning the rent he collected could be recovered.
Why it matters
The judge described "flagrant disregard" of repeated warnings. Rooms above shops and restaurants are among the highest-risk arrangements we see, and ignoring a Prohibition Notice turns a fixable problem into a criminal case.
Source: Fire & Risk Management Journal, FPA, 27 August 2026
3. HMO, Brighton: responsible person fined after enforcement notices ignored
An East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service inspection of an HMO in central Brighton, prompted by concerns about fireworks being stored there, uncovered a long list of failings.
What was wrong
No suitable fire risk assessment; faults across the fire alarm panel, missing smoke detector heads and an unsecured call point; a fire door removed from the escape route; a kitchen door that didn't self-close; and combustible materials stored on the escape routes and external fire escape.
The outcome: despite informal advice and formal enforcement notices, the work wasn't completed for around a year. The responsible person pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay £3,875 in fines and £7,075 in costs.
Why it matters
HMOs carry some of the highest fire risks in rented housing, and the fire service expects enforcement notices to be acted on promptly. A current fire risk assessment, a maintained alarm and clear escape routes are the basics.
Source: Fire & Risk Management Journal, FPA, 17 August 2026
4. Holiday let, Bournemouth: £23,000 for refusing the fire inspector
After a member of the public raised concerns about fire safety at a holiday let in Bournemouth, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service tried to inspect it. The owner repeatedly refused inspectors access.
What was wrong
Failing to comply with the requirements of a fire safety inspector without reasonable excuse, an offence in its own right under Article 32 of the Fire Safety Order.
The outcome
The case was heard in her absence at Weymouth Magistrates' Court in September 2026. The fine was £1,100, but with costs of £21,750 the total came to over £23,000.
Why it matters
holiday lets are businesses under the Fire Safety Order, and the owner is the responsible person. Refusing to engage only makes things worse, and as this case shows, the costs can be many times the fine.
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Source: Fire & Risk Management Journal, FPA, 18 September 2026
What these cases mean for you
Three lessons run through all four cases: have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, act on it, and engage with the fire service rather than ignore it.
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If you are a... |
What to check |
Where to start |
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Landlord of flats or a converted building |
A current fire risk assessment covering the common parts and, since the Fire Safety Act 2021, the structure and external walls |
Fire Risk Assessments |
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HMO owner or manager |
Fire risk assessment, alarm servicing, fire doors and clear escape routes |
HMO Fire Risk Assessments |
|
Holiday let owner |
You are the responsible person; an assessment is required |
|
|
Selling a flat |
Lenders and buyers' solicitors increasingly ask for evidence the external walls have been assessed |
Fire Risk Assessments |
|
Any responsible person |
Fire doors inspected and maintained |
How Often Should Fire Doors Be Inspected? |
Frequently asked questions
Can a landlord go to prison for fire safety breaches?
Yes. Offences under the Fire Safety Order can be tried in the Crown Court, where unlimited fines and prison sentences are available. Two of these cases ended in suspended prison sentences.
Who gets prosecuted, the landlord or the company?
Both can be. In the Lancashire case the landlord was sentenced personally and his company was fined £200,000.
What happens if I ignore an enforcement or prohibition notice?
It is a criminal offence. It also removes any argument that you didn't know about the problem, as two of these cases show.
Can I refuse a fire safety inspector entry?
No. Inspectors have legal powers of entry, and obstructing them is an offence in itself.
Get your fire safety in order
Wyvern Risk Management is a family-run fire safety practice led by Marc Anderson, an advanced level fire risk assessor with 32 years' fire service experience. We carry out fire risk assessments for landlords, HMOs, holiday lets and blocks of flats across Bath, Bristol, Somerset, Gloucester, Cardiff and Exeter.
Don't wait for a knock on the door!
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Sources
All cases summarised from the Fire Protection Association's Fire & Risk Management Journal:
- Substantial sentence given for fire safety failings (5 October 2026)
- Holiday let owner fined after failing to comply with fire safety inspection requirements (18 September 2026)
- Restaurateur prosecuted after disregarding extreme fire risk (27 August 2026)
- Responsible person prosecuted for HMO fire safety breaches (17 August 2026)