Croydon landlord fined over carbon monoxide poisoning

Date:

9 December 2011

Release No:

COILON/0912

A Croydon landlord was prosecuted after five of his tenants needed hospital treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning.

City of London Magistrates' Court heard that on 4 March 2009 ambulance and fire crews were called to an address in Elgin Road, Croydon, where they found several people suffering flu-like symptoms and dizziness. One tenant thought he was having a heart attack.

Five residents were taken from the property, belonging to landlord James Long, to Princess Royal University hospital suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Three needed to be transferred to Whipps Cross hospital for specialist hyperbaric treatment.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Mr Long did not have a landlord's gas safety certificate covering the property, meaning the gas hob, boiler and flue had not been inspected by a qualified gas engineer.

It was discovered the carbon monoxide was coming from a gas boiler in the cellar and gas engineers found a taped-up air vent had led to insufficient fresh air coming into the cellar.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Matthew Raine said:

"This carbon monoxide poisoning could easily have been fatal. If Mr Long had fulfilled his legal obligation to get the property inspected, he would have been made aware just how dangerous it was for the air vent to be taped-up. Mr Long disregarded his landlord duties and put his tenants at grave risk.

"Every year, around 20 people die and many others suffer ill-health from carbon monoxide poisoning. Landlords who put their tenants in danger will be prosecuted."

Mr Long of Elgin Road, Croydon, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 36(3)(a) of the of the Gas Safety (installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was fined a total of £24,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,000.

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. For more information about the work of HSE, visit www.hse.gov.uk
2. Regulation 36(3)(a) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 states: "A landlord shall ensure that each appliance and flue to which that duty extends is checked for safety within 12 months of being installed and at intervals of not more than 12 months since it was last checked for safety (whether such check was made pursuant to these Regulations or not)."

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