Mount Green Housing Association sentenced following Surrey Fire and Rescue Service investigation

Sentencing occurred at Staines Magistrates’ Court after the organisation entered a guilty plea to charges brought forward by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.

The devastating fire witnessed a wheelchair-using resident unable to escape to safety before being overcome by heat and smoke in the communal corridor. Several other residents were rescued by Fire and Rescue Service crew members, some of whom required hospital treatment due to smoke inhalation.

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Mount Green Housing Association was responsible for fire safety measures in the building and admitted breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 that put people at risk of death and serious injury. These included: 

*failure to attach a self-closing device to a flat entrance door 

*failure to provide an appropriately configured system for the Stay Put policy at the premises 

*failure to address recommendations dating back as far as 2019

The Judge emphasised that one key reason for the lower than usual fine was due to the community impact that Mount Green Housing Association has developed. The presiding Judge stated: “I cannot impress enough that the reason this is so low is that the money is needed to help others in the community for housing, etc.”

Lee Spencer-Smith, area commander at Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, stated: “First and foremost, the thoughts of everyone here at the Fire and Rescue Service remain with the loved ones of the person who lost their life in January 2022. This sentencing was about accountability in terms of public safety. This is something that we, alongside many other public bodies, are working hard to encourage. ‘Responsible Persons’ have a Duty of Care to their residents, particularly so the most vulnerable members of the community.”

Spencer-Smith concluded: “This outcome highlights the consequences of failures in fire safety management and the critical need for proactive and responsible action to protect people.”

Response from Mount Green Housing Association

Marcus Canning, director of Mount Green Housing Association, stated: “Having pleaded guilty to the three charges brought against Mount Green Housing Association by Surrey County Council in relation to fire safety breaches at one of our properties in 2022 that resulted in the tragic loss of Mr Waller’s life, we fully accept the fine that has subsequently been issued.”

Canning added: “We recognise how difficult this process has been for Mr Waller’s family and we extend our deepest sympathies to them.”

Further, Canning noted: “A remedial works programme to address fire safety issues at Greylees, which began in April 2021, was completed in June 2023. We remain committed to taking every learning point on board and have implemented changes to strengthen our processes and policies. We continue to work closely with residents across all of Mount Green Housing Association’s housing stock to provide assurance that their homes are safe.”

In conclusion, Canning informed Fire Safety Matters: “Our focus continues to be on ensuring that our residents’ homes are safe.”