£9,000 fine for woman who flouted fire regulations

Woman hadn't informed fire service about 'granny flat' 

A Ramsey woman has been fined £9,000 after contravening fire regulations in a property she was renting to a tenant.

Deborah Anne Perry, of Waterloo Road, hadn’t given the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service the appropriate notification that her townhouse contained a flat.

The 55-year-old was sentenced at Douglas Courthouse after admitting six breaches of the rules on 24 October.

On that day her property, on Waverley Terrace, was inspected by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture and the fire service following a request from the tenant.

Inspectors found the emergency lighting and fire alarm system had not been maintained, a ceiling was compromised, there were issues with fire doors and there was no fire blanket in the kitchen.

There was also no instructions, or signage, in the ‘granny flat’ to highlight what to do in an emergency.

The court was told the inspection had been organised by the tenant, who had resided at the property since 2016, as part of efforts to secure more points for a social housing application.

Whilst he was paying rent he did not have an official tenancy agreement.

Perry’s advocate told the court his client had acquired the property in 1995 with the intention of converting it into flats but work had stalled and instead just one granny flat had been created.

He said regulations regarding flats had changed in 2016 and she had been unaware of this – describing the property as ‘something of a millstone’ after the development plans stalled.

“These offences are born out of naivety,” he told the court.  “It’s something of a sad situation she’s ended up in.”

Fining her, and ordering her to pay prosecution costs of £50, High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said she had not made the ‘appropriate checks’.