A company has been fined £50,000 by Birmingham City Council for an ‘unacceptable’ failure to implement essential building improvements.
The council took legal action against Freehold Managers (Nominees) Limited following their failure to comply with an Improvement Notice issued for the company’s building, Centenary Plaza.
As part of the notice, the company was required to act upon safety measures such as fire door repairs, emergency lighting improvements and ensuring appropriate fire escape routes from the building.
At the prosecution on October 16, the company pleaded guilty and was fined £50,000, with the council becoming the first West Midlands local authority and the second in the UK to use the powers of the Housing Act 2004 to carry out legal proceedings over fire safety in high-rise buildings.
Cllr Nicky Brennan, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, said the council has ‘zero tolerance for owners of buildings delaying essential life-saving fire safety work’, which is considered ‘unacceptable’.
She added: ‘This decision represents a milestone in our drive to raise standards and hold building owners to account in Birmingham. It will also help set an example for other authorities across the country in safeguarding their residents' interests using the powers available under housing legislation.
‘This sentence sends a clear warning to all building owners operating in Birmingham that they must act swiftly in the interest of our residents’ safety first and always, otherwise we will take decisive action against you.’
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