Weighing Up The Cost Of Compliance.
It is our responsibility to install and maintain our customer's' fire safety assets in line with the current standards combined with the customers request.
As an example of some typical service contracts for a Brighton HMO site, we would carry out the following fire safety services.
In this example I have used the same site but created different clients. Each example could be in line with the requirements depending on how the customer manages the sites beyond what we provide as a service.
I have also added an example of our charges for each of these services which would be based on certain factors, like size of premises, type of system amount of lights etc.
In the following example sites, we'll assume that they are block of flats is in Brighton and the customer has come to their senses and phoned "The Fire Guy" for a quote to have the fire alarms serviced. The building consist 4 flats with 2 detectors in each, 4 detectors and call-points in the common areas. There is an old fire alarm panel and 6 emergency lights that all need to be maintained.
We will always make our customers aware of their responsibilities, but in the end, it is always down to the person paying the bills.
Client. Mrs Blencowe.
1 Annual fire alarm service. (testing the whole of the fire alarm system).
1 Annual Emergency light service, (3 hour light drain and inspection)
3 Quarterly service visits for the fire alarms. ( 25% of the fire alarm system).
48 Weekly tests of the fire alarm system.
11 Monthly Emergency light flick test. (switch emergency lights over to battery, check they are functioning and then switch back to normal).
Total cost per annum. £469
Client. Mr Bill Gates.
1 Annual fire alarm service. (testing the whole of the fire alarm system).
1 Annual Emergency light service, (3 hour light drain and inspection)
3 Quarterly service visits for the fire alarms and emergency lights.
(on this visit we test emergency lights for 1 hour & 25% of the fire alarm system)
48 Weekly tests of the fire alarm system.
Total cost per annum.£417
Client. Miss Arianna Huffington.
1 Annual fire alarm service. (testing the whole of the fire alarm system).
1 Annual Emergency light service, (3 hour light drain and inspection)
1 Bi-annual service visits for the fire alarms. ( 50% of the fire alarm system).
50 Weekly tests of the fire alarm system.
11 Monthly Emergency light flick test. (switch emergency lights over to battery, check they are functioning and then switch back to normal).
Total cost per annum. £430
Client. Mr Steve Jobs.
1 Annual fire alarm service. (testing the whole of the fire alarm system).
1 Annual Emergency light service, (3 hour light drain and inspection).
1 Bi-annual service. (fire alarms and 1 hour emergency lights).
Total cost per annum. £145.
As you can see, all of the above service contracts are different in some way. In each example, we are only carrying work that has been requested.
Each client may well be complying 100% with what is required under the Regulatory Reform Order 2005, which is a legal requirement.
And, in truth no one will ever know unless there is an inspection from an authority, or if there is a fire and documents have to be provided as a way of showing that all of the legal requirements have been observed and carried out.
Client. Bill Gates. Bill is a great client, but wants to save some money and says he will carry out all of the monthly emergency light test himself, or he'll get a member of staff to do it.
He does it the first month and then forgets for a few, so he asks a staff member to do it. The staff member does it for 5 months but forgets to fill in the logbook.
On month 8 there is a fire and the brigade turn up and all of the emergency lights have failed for whatever reason.
Bill would have been fine, if only he had evidence such as a logbook entry that the lights had been regularly checked. Bill is now in the docs and his good reputation is questionable.
Client. Mr Steve Jobs. Steve is a right tight arse and knows the law, but he decides to take his chances. Steve knows that the chance of a fire or an inspection is slim, especially as he owns quite a few HMO's around Brighton and there's never been an issue yet. Problem is, as Steve grows his portfolio he is also growing his fire risk factor. If Steve does the same with each of his properties, the shit will hit the fan big time if he gets an inspection.
Clients. Arianna Huffington and Mrs Blencowe
My favourite clients. Both have the same property but have decided to take different routes with their fire safety. They have hired Brighton's No1 fire and safety handyman, The Fire Guy.
Miss Huffington wants me to carry out the fire alarm servicing on an annual and bi-annual basis, along with the weekly and monthly testing.
Mrs Blencowe on the other hand, wants me to carry out the fire alarm servicing on a quarterly basis, along with the weekly and monthly test.
The Fire Guy is carrying out all of the required services, logging all the details, and providing a paper trail, as well as informing them of any problems or faults that may occur in-between visits. Which of course the have rectified at the earliest possible time.
Fire safety, What the landlord should know
