Fire Alarm Customer Complaint

[tazz]

Customer has Twinflex fire alarm installed in 6 flat hmo...On taking over the maintenance, we installed our usual GSM remote reset unit. 5am today, we get a call from a flat member that the fire alarm is going off.....ok are you 100% sure there is no fire. Yes she reply, its the **** head on the top floor again, he`s hit the break glass. ok will will reset, but we will have to reset break glass later today. The Landlord hasn`t paid their maintenance for 3 years, I explained that your lucky the gsm is still online...And were not coming to repair a system as it is no longer covered. So I`m now a total bar steward, ripping landlords off, because the fire officer is presenting charges of non compliance... HMO licence requires annual maintenance of property.......Your views...???

 

[Pete999]

Tazz, if the Landlord hasn't kept up the payments, then IMO he is the one who has defaulted, and worse still putting his Tennants at risk, I don't you are being a bar steward as you put it, have you a moral obligation to attend? I'm not 100% sure. Can you invoice him for a call out and materials? but again if he hasn't paid the insurance premiums, what chance do you have of getting paid for the call out? between a rock and a hard place. Those are my views for what they are worth.

 

[Octopus]

How can you be held responsible? The contract lapsed when the renewal payment wasn't made.

simples

 

[Engineer54]

Not sure what views you are asking about??

It's pretty clear that the landlord or company are in the wrong and are being prosecuted for not adhering to the rules... Don't the local authorities or whoever, keep records of lapsed licenses that have been issued, something like notifications of annual maintenance/testing procedures being carried out???

 

[tazz]

In the last 15 years, i`ve never had a complaint like this....we have been out multiply times to this address due to call points being smashed by a drunk tenants, and never been paid. We installed the GSM silence/reset due to excessive false alarms. The property is in very bad condition with ceilings falling in, and the landlord being warned on many occasions to conform with electrical, gas and fire regs....Now its our fault the fire alarm is at fault, the electricians for other faults, the gas engineers for the boiler not working....it is just unbelievable !!!

 

[Octopus]

In the last 15 years, i`ve never had a complaint like this....we have been out multiply times to this address due to call points being smashed by a drunk tenants, and never been paid. We installed the GSM silence/reset due to excessive false alarms. The property is in very bad condition with ceilings falling in, and the landlord being warned on many occasions to conform with electrical, gas and fire regs....Now its our fault the fire alarm is at fault, the electricians for other faults, the gas engineers for the boiler not working....it is just unbelievable !!!

Terminate the contract?

Write to the local Council and lodge the issues so if the xxxx hits the fan you are covered??

 

[Engineer54]

Well to be honest you don't have a contract with this landlord/company and haven't had for 3 years, so you can't say they are a customer.... Just as well really, seeing as they are facing prosecution on numerous counts on failure to comply with gas and fire Reg's!!! You're well shot of them if the truth be known.

 

[UNG]

Tazz your first post implies that this is not the first time that you have reset the alarm in last three years if this is the case you have been incredibly patient and I think the landlord has been taking you for a ride. The fact that the GSM unit is still live means someone is paying the bills for that I hope it is not you.

This does highlight the failings of the RRO as some if not all local fire authorities don't seem to have a regular inspection regime and a business could operate for years without checks being made with a licensing system everything is checked on a regular basis and the ability to operate is dependant on having a license before occupation although the HMO standards and requirements vary widely from council to council

Personally with a system 3 years out of contract I would have referred the caller back to the landlord and definitely not reset it to make a point as this just makes you the first point of contact in future as a soft touch