Category: fire

Update on the Article 2 investigative duty in inquests: R. (on the application of Parkin) v HM Coroner for Inner London (East) [2024] EWHC 744 (Admin) – Landmark Chambers

Posted May 3rd, 2024 in accidents, chambers articles, coroners, fire, fire services, human rights, inquests, local government, news by sally

‘In R. (on the application of Parkin) v HM Coroner for Inner London (East) [2024] EWHC 744 (Admin), the High Court considered the question of whether an Article 2 investigative duty arises in an inquest in circumstances where the individual concerned was living in their own home; had capacity, and exposed themselves to danger.’

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Landmark Chambers, 16th April 2024

Source: www.landmarkchambers.co.uk

Judge rejects challenge to decision by Assistant Coroner not to hold Article 2 inquest into death of woman in fire at home – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 11th, 2024 in coroners, fire, human rights, inquests, judicial review, news by sally

‘The High Court has rejected a judicial review challenge to an assistant coroner’s decision not to hold an Article 2 inquest examining whether two public bodies had any responsibility for a woman’s death.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th April 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Thousands trapped in flats with Grenfell-style cladding ‘scammed’ by insurers – The Independent

Posted April 3rd, 2024 in accidents, construction industry, fire, health & safety, housing, insurance, news, repairs by tracey

‘Thousands of residents trapped in homes with Grenfell-style cladding that they cannot sell are being “scammed” by insurers demanding unaffordable premiums despite being told the buildings are safe, The Independent can reveal. Nearly seven years after the tragedy, which took place in west London in June 2017, residents living in cladded homes are seeing their insurance costs surge by up to 1,000 per cent.’

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The Independent, 24th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Owners of Crooked House pub appeal against order to rebuild – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2024 in appeals, arson, enforcement notices, fire, news by tracey

‘The owners of the Crooked House pub in Himley have appealed against an order to rebuild the 18th-century building, which was demolished days after a fire last year.’

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The Guardian, 27th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Grenfell: Met officers suing force over ‘trauma’ suffered – BBC News

Posted March 11th, 2024 in accidents, class actions, compensation, damages, emergency services, fire, fire services, news, personal injuries, police, psychiatric damage by tracey

‘More than 30 current and former Metropolitan Police officers are suing the force “for personal injury and losses following their role in the Grenfell Tower fire”, it says.’

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BBC News, 10th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Grenfell solicitor wins unfair dismissal claim over redundancy – Legal Futures

Posted January 3rd, 2024 in accidents, employment, employment tribunals, fire, inquiries, law firms, news, solicitors, unfair dismissal by sally

‘A solicitor made redundant after her work on the Grenfell Tower disaster ended has won a claim for unfair dismissal because her law firm did not properly consider another role for her.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Grenfell firefighters to receive council compensation – BBC News

Posted December 7th, 2023 in compensation, fire, fire services, local government, news by michael

‘More than 100 firefighters who tackled the Grenfell Tower blaze will receive compensation from Kensington and Chelsea Council.’

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BBC News, 7th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Newham v Chaplair: the lessons to be learned – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 1st, 2023 in building law, fines, fire, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, repairs, sentencing by tracey

‘Archie Maddan explains what was involved in the first successful prosecution of a tower block owner for failure to remove flammable cladding.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 30th November 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Landlords of crowded London flat that caught fire plead guilty to criminal charges – The Guardian

Posted November 29th, 2023 in accidents, confiscation, fire, houses in multiple occupation, housing, landlord & tenant, news, proceeds of crime by sally

‘The landlords of a dangerously overcrowded east London flat that suffered a deadly fire in March have pleaded guilty to a total of nine criminal charges.’

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The Guardian, 28th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

London borough successfully prosecutes building owner over delays in removing dangerous cladding – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 20th, 2023 in building law, delay, fire, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, London, news by tracey

‘Newham is understood to have become the first local authority in Britain to successfully prosecute a building owner for failing to remove flammable cladding.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 19th October 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Cladding remediation and related costs recovery – a new case in the FTT: St John Street Property Services Ltd v Riverside Group Ltd – Tanfield Chambers

Posted October 4th, 2023 in chambers articles, costs, damages, defective premises, fire, health & safety, landlord & tenant, news, repairs by sally

‘Robert Bowker and Jeremy Weaver, an associate director at Bradys Solicitors analyse the recent case of St John Street Property Services Group v Riverside Group Ltd.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 11th September 2023

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

First Remediation Order under Building Safety Act – Mills & Reeve

Posted September 27th, 2023 in building law, chambers articles, fire, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news by sally

‘A group of leaseholders of two blocks of flats successfully applied for a Remediation Order against the freeholder in respect of defective external cladding and other fire safety issues. The decision by the First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber (Residential Property) in Sarah White & Karin Ida Christina Martensson & Other leaseholders v Kedai Limited (freeholder) LON/00AY/HYI/2022/0005 & 0016 is the first Remediation Order made under section 123 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA).’

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Mills & Reeve, 26th September 2023

Source: www.mills-reeve.com

Waking watch costs and failing to do Fire Risk Assessments – Nearly Legal

Posted August 30th, 2023 in fire, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, news, service charges by sally

‘This is a very interesting appeal to the Upper Tribunal on the issue of a freeholder recovering waking watch costs through the leaseholder’s service charge. The freeholder was given permission to appeal an FTT decision that only the first 7 days worth of costs (of almost 4 months worth) was recoverable.’

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Nearly Legal, 29th August 2023

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Buildings Safety Act 2022: Different statutory regimes do not operate in isolation (Various leaseholders of Priory Heights v Central Beds Council) – Tanfield Chambers

Posted August 7th, 2023 in building law, chambers articles, fire, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, repairs by sally

‘Priory Heights, a former tax office, is over 29 metres high, was converted from commercial to residential use between 2003 and 2008, and contains 64 flats. It contains two staircases one of which is external and covered in combustible HPL cladding. It is indisputable that the cladding must be removed and replaced. The necessary remediation measures also include compartmentation and fire stopping work in the building’s common parts.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 20th July 2023

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Landlord claimed to be “lost at sea” ordered to pay £44k over housing offence – Local Government Lawyer

Posted July 5th, 2023 in fines, fire, health & safety, houses in multiple occupation, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news by sally

‘A South Gloucestershire landlord has been ordered to pay more than £44,000 after a court found him guilty of a serious housing offence and for contravening a Local Government Act.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th July 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Grenfell Tower and Awaab Ishak tributes as social housing bill passes – BBC News

Posted June 28th, 2023 in accidents, bills, causing death of children or vulnerable adults, children, fire, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, news, repairs by sally

‘A move to strengthen social housing rules in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire and the death of a toddler from exposure to mould is set to become law.’

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BBC News, 27th June 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

What happens after a banning order? The further adventures of Mr Rasool – Nearly Legal

Posted June 26th, 2023 in fines, fire, health & safety, houses in multiple occupation, housing, landlord & tenant, news by tracey

‘Mohammed Rasool has featured here quite often, for getting an ASBi against him for illegal eviction, for his role in quite the bizarrest set of cases, in which he sought re-entry after alleged illegal eviction to properties he had no interest in and didn’t occupy, and for receiving a five year banning order, amongst other things. But the fall out of his track record of truly terrible landlording, and assorted criminal offences continues. Here is a new press release from Camden Council, on the outcome of their latest prosecution of Mohammed Ali Abbas Rasool and associated entities.’

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Nearly Legal, 23rd June 2023

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Real estate company fined for burning peatland in protected area – The Independent

Posted May 12th, 2023 in environmental health, environmental protection, fines, fire, news by tracey

‘A real estate company worth nearly £20 million has admitted burning peat illegally on one of its estates.’

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The Independent, 11th May 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judge approves £150 million settlement of Grenfell compensation claims – The Independent

Posted May 3rd, 2023 in accidents, class actions, compensation, fire, health & safety, housing, inquiries, news by tracey

‘A judge has approved a “global” settlement of compensation claims made by people affected by the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire.’

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The Independent, 2nd May 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Former Grenfell resident fails in wide-ranging challenge to rehousing decisions – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 18th, 2023 in fire, housing, judicial review, local government, news by sally

‘A former Grenfell resident has failed in a judicial review challenge against rehousing decisions made by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the years following the 2017 fire.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th April 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk