In action by Solitaire ‘could’ endanger your lives
I was concerned to read a number of comments related to Health and Safety concerns that many people have in regards to cleanliness and in particular communal area fire alarms.
It’s imperative that communal fire alarms are in full working order and as ‘A N Onymous’ pointed out on a recent thread, in 2008 a landlord was jailed for serious breaches of the regulatory reform order under the new fire safety regulations.
If you are concerned about whether your fire alarms are working contact Solitaire and ensure that the subject is clearly marked as HEALTH & SAFETY CONCERN – FIRE ALARMS.
If they fail to act, then contact your local fire service and ask them if they can check if everything is working for you.
It’s not only the fire alarms that you should check, electrical points, kerbstones, anything that you feel that poses a health and safety hazard - make sure you bring it to Solitaire’s attention.
When it’s lives that are at risk, Solitaire should be acting immediately and shouldn’t be ignored.
Maybe Andy can provide us with details of Solitaire / Peverel’s procedures for such issues (especially when they are not exactly minor).
View the article here: http://view.digipage.net/?userpath=00000215/00010816/00034215/
Another highly recommended website is: News on the Block, which provides details about Right to Manage, Health and Safety, Insurance and much more.
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:33 pm
It has taken months to get the basic health and safety in place. I think it is important all landlords get confirmation of the status. If there is a fire in my building in the next 14 days I will not be liable
Dear Mr Sheerin,
The fire alarms are still not repaired. One needs a complete new panel and the other a new cover. Protec have assured me that these are on order and will be fitted within 14 days.
Please feel free to contact customer services should you have any further issues.
Kind Regards
[NAME REMOVED FOLLOWING REQUEST BY THE PROPERTY MANAGER]
Property Manager
Solitaire Property Management
e-mail: customerservices@solitiarepm.co.uk
Tel:0845 345 790
w http://www.solitairegroup.com
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Brian – that does seem to be progress, at least. Solitaire have acknowledged that the fire alarm/s in your building don’t work, and need replacement parts to rectify the situation, and have received assurances from Protec to resolve accordingly.
Please do keep us informed on progress – will the new parts be fitted within the 14 days stated, and if so will this resolve the situation, leaving your building with fully operational fire alarm systems…???
July 6th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Hi
I read admin’s posting on Health & Safety last week when I was helping the guys prepare for the Peverel Property Management operations conference that took place over a day and half on Wednesday & Thursday. As Tom our Health & Safety manager was due to be presenting at one of the property manager training sessions I asked him to give his response to the questions raised in the posting which he did on Friday morning:
“Whilst the primary piece of health and safety legislation in the UK is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, below this Act are many pieces of secondary legislation, covering areas such as fire safety, asbestos, work at height etc.
Solitaire are absolutely committed to complying with all relevant legislation, and with maintaining high levels of health and safety in general.
As pointed out in a recent thread, the first custodial sentence was given in 2008 for breaches to the (relatively) new Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which is now the main piece of legislation relating specifically to fire safety in the UK. The fact that the first person to receive a jail sentence was a landlord demonstrates that local fire authorities take compliance within the housing sector very seriously, as is only right.
Whilst the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order itself does not prescribe the servicing and maintenance arrangements which should be in place for fire detection systems, there is a British Standard (BS 5839) which offers specific details on the arrangements for the installation, repair and maintenance of fire and smoke detector systems.
Solitaire ensure that where a fire or smoke detection system is present within the common areas of a property, the requirements of the British Standard are complied with and they are serviced and maintained by a competent contractor on a regular basis (at least every 6 months). Servicing and maintenance programmes are also arranged as required for other fire safety equipment – e.g. emergency lights, automatic opening smoke vents, dry risers etc.”
Tom’s response came before the dreadful fire in a council owned and managed block of flats in Camberwell built in the 1960’s.
When our Property Managers identify faulty fire alarms they should immediately instruct specialist contractors to resolve the problem. There are no half measures here – if you are unhappy with the way your enquiry is being handled please don’t hesitate to email me direct at: andy.soltairepm@peverel.co.uk and I will pass it on to the relevant people.
Thanks
Andy
July 13th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Thats it for me..I have never ever been so disgusted with a so called company namely soitaire!!!! They will NOT EVER EVER get another penny of me, NEVER!!! They can take me to court with pleasure, im totally mortified that they can even exist, DISGUSTING service, attitude and so amatuer, just wisheverybody held back payment, then what can they do…improve perhaps???
July 13th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Lee – care to elaborate…???
July 22nd, 2009 at 1:46 pm
brian
did your fire alarm system get fixed?
July 24th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Hi Brian
Thanks for your posting,
You may feel that you haven’t heard from me for recently, I would like to explain that we have had a new software package put in place in our office, which as with anything new has had a few teething problems. Hence I have been without access to your site and my mail box for this week.
I immediately followed up with the Solitaire Property Management Team and they have now provided me with the following information concerning the fire alarm. The replacement of the fire alarm panel has been contracted to a new company, who have visited your development and installed a new panel.
Block inspections are scheduled for once a fortnight, to be undertaken by either the Regional Property Manager or the Property Manager. Both are fully aware of the vandalism issues relating to the bin store. A new digi lock was fitted, and subsequently vandalised. Arrangements have been made for the lock to be repaired. Cleaning issues regarding lights and porch areas are being regularly monitored.
I understand that you are in regular contact with your Property Manager, however if you have any further queries that are not being addressed, please email me directly at andy.solitairepm@peverel.co.uk and I will do my best to resolve them for you.
Thanks
Andy
Solitaire Online Feedback Manager
July 24th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Andy
Thanks for for your response.
Whilst efforts are being made please be advised that the latest message I had was (from Solitaire) that there is still a problem with the fire alarm , so i guess its just good luck that there hasn’t been a fire and the new lock was fitted but didn’t work. Rather than “vandalise” it again the residents merely piled their rubbish up outside it AGAIN. There must have been around 5 attempts to fix the lock, hardly a challenging job but if you ask the cleaner to fix things then what do you expect. Lets see if you have the cheek to try and charge me for the multiple visits to do with the lock and the fire alarm – if so, on the basis that I have paid for none existent services for the last three years – I fear we may at last end up in court.
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:29 pm
[...] this point, we’d like to refer visitors to the post ‘Inaction by Solitiare ‘could’ Endanger Your Lives’ that we published on the 26 June 2009, where another landlord had been prosecuted for breaches of [...]