The penalties, totalling £42,300, were issued for running an unlicensed HMO and failing to properly manage the property and keep tenants safe.

Council investigations uncovered a number of serious fire safety and management problems at the three-storey property, which was occupied by seven people from six households.

Among the problems identified were a faulty and inadequate fire alarm system, the lack of emergency lighting, the absence of a fire blanket in the kitchen, defective fire doors, obstructions on escape routes, bedroom and exit doors that required keys to open from the inside, a lack of proper safety checks, inspections and records and a failure to respond to requests for information and documents to support the investigation.

Council officers also found evidence that the property had been operating as an HMO for a significant period without the legally required licence being in place. HMOs are properties rented by several people from different households who share facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms. Landlords who operate HMOs must follow strict legal requirements to make sure tenants are safe, particularly so in relation to fire safety and property management.

Paying the penalty 

Following the issuing of the penalties, Jetsun Ltd paid the fine within 28 days and received a 15% discount under Gateshead Council’s enforcement policy. The funds will be reinvested into further enforcement work in the private rented sector to help improve housing standards across Gateshead.

Samantha Allcott, strategic director of housing, environment and healthy communities at Gateshead Council, said: “Landlords have a legal duty to make sure the homes they rent out are safe and properly managed. In this case, the conditions found at the property were unacceptable and could have put tenants at serious risk, notably so in the event of a fire.”

Allcott added: “We work closely with landlords across Gateshead to help raise and maintain standards. Tenant safety will always come first and, that being so, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action where standards fall below what’s required by law.”

Gateshead Council introduced additional HMO licensing in parts of Gateshead in June last year to underpin ongoing work designed to improve housing standards and protect tenants living in privately rented accommodation. 

From this month onwards, all FIA examinations conducted through FireQual will be delivered via Surpass. The new platform provides an improved examination experience for candidates, while also supporting enhanced quality assurance, security and compliance requirements.

For most candidates the transition will be straightforward. The examination process remains familiar, although the appearance of the system and some functionality will differ from the previous platform. Going forward, candidates sitting examinations should expect a different user interface and are encouraged to read any guidance provided before commencing their assessment.

This change also marks the beginning of a wider programme of improvements that will be introduced over the coming weeks.

Online invigilation

As part of ongoing regulatory and Awarding Organisation requirements, the FIA and FireQual will begin introducing Online Proctoring (ie online invigilation) for examinations.

Online invigilation enables candidates to complete examinations remotely, while maintaining the same standards of security and integrity expected during in-person assessments.

Candidates taking online invigilated examinations will be required to:

*complete a system and equipment check before their examination

*verify their identity (note that company IDs are no longer accepted)

*provide a clear view of their examination environment

*ensure desks and workspaces are free from unauthorised materials

*remain alone in the room throughout the assessment

*follow all examination instructions and invigilation requirements

Full guidance documents and support materials will be made available before candidates are required to undertake online invigilated assessments.

What candidates need to do

The FIA and FireQual strongly encourage all candidates, employers and booking contacts to review any examination guidance issued by the FIA and FireQual. Examination arrangements that may have applied previously should not be assumed to remain unchanged under the new system.

Candidates will receive clear instructions in advance of their examination and will be given sufficient notice of any new requirements.

Supporting guidance

A range of support documents, including step-by-step guides and technical requirements, will be made available on the FIA website.

All candidates, members and training customers are thanked for their support during this transition. Both organisations look forward to delivering an enhanced examination experience through the new Surpass platform.

*For further information visit www.fia.uk.com and www.firequal.com

New data shared with consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First by Biffa, the UK’s largest waste management company, reveals that more than two million incorrectly discarded vapes were found at just four of its sites between June 2025 and March this year. That’s the equivalent of almost 300 vapes every hour and more than 6,500 every day.

The startling figures emerge as polling of 1,000 vapers across the UK by the charity found that more than half (59%) admitted to disposing of their vapes incorrectly in household rubbish or recycling bins over the past 12 months despite the same proportion saying they were aware that improper disposal can cause fires in bin lorries and at recycling centres.

Worryingly, of those who said they had disposed of their vapes in the household general waste bin, two-thirds (67%) admitted doing so once every week or more. Meanwhile, nearly three-quarters (71%) of those who had put vapes in household recycling bins admitted doing the same, suggesting that the true number of vapes entering the waste system could be in the millions each week.

Real risk

Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, said: “Every vape thrown into the household rubbish or recycling has the potential to create very real and frightening risks for waste collection workers who are simply doing their job.”

Capanna continued: “Vapes contain lithium-ion batteries and, when they’re disposed of incorrectly, those batteries can be crushed or damaged, which can then lead to fires that have the potential to escalate rapidly and put workers at risk.”

In terms of risk mitigation, Capanna noted: “Safe disposal can start with simple changes. If you use vapes, build safe disposal into your routine. For example, every time you go to the supermarket or a vape shop, drop off your used vapes at the designated vape disposal point.”

According to Capanna: “Every household can help turn the tide on this issue by making safe disposal a habit rather than an afterthought, in turn reducing the number of dangerous batteries entering the waste stream. We urge all households to stop and think. Don’t bin the battery.”

Preventing safe disposal

While some vapers admit to safe disposal habits, including taking devices to a recycling centre or drop-off point (28%) or returning them to a shop or retailer (16%), the study findings also highlight key barriers to correct disposal.

More than a quarter (27%) said they did not know vapes needed to be disposed of in a specific way, while others assumed placing them in the bin was fine (25%) or said they lacked convenient local disposal options (21%).

As stated, vapes contain lithium-ion batteries, which can cause explosive and highly toxic fires if damaged. When thrown into household rubbish or recycling bins, vapes can be crushed, punctured or compacted during the waste process, causing the batteries inside to overheat or ignite.

These fires can spread quickly through bin lorries and recycling centres, putting workers at risk and causing major disruption as well as costly damage. Damaged batteries can also leak harmful chemicals into the environment if they’re not recycled properly.

*Further information is available online at www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk

Both new guidance notes provide key information on the preparation, content and management of the key accompanying documents for HRB Building Control Approval (Gateway 2) application and subsequent approved documents for HRB Completion Certificate (Gateway 3) applications.

These guidance notes are supported by an example of the structure and content of a Fire and Emergency File and a sample extract of a Building Regulations Compliance Statement.

Feedback from the Building Safety Regulator confirms that, while showing signs of improvement, the quality of Fire and Emergency Files and Building Regulations Compliance Statements remains the cause of rejection in relation  to some applications. It’s absolutely key that these documents clearly narrate the design and technical approach taken by applicants and fully evidence their assessment of risk, notably so in relation to fire and structure.

The guidance builds on the CLC guidance suite updated on 18 December last year to support those submitting and assessing Building Control applications for new HRBs.

*Read the new and updated CLC guidance online. Guidance Note 01 (focusing on The Building Safety Regime for a new Higher-Risk Building) has also been updated. Additional guidance is also available on the CLC website

The e-Learning course has been developed to help housing professionals, fire safety practitioners and others gain a greater understanding of residential fire risks and the role sprinkler systems play in protecting lives and property.

The training covers a range of key topics, among them the nature of fire risk in social housing environments, how fires spread within residential buildings, the limitations of passive fire protection measures and the effectiveness of automatic fire sprinkler systems as a dedicated life safety solution.

Ruth Oliver, skills and qualifications advisor at BAFSA, stated: “As social housing providers continue to address building safety responsibilities and resident protection, access to practical and knowledge-based fire safety education is becoming increasingly important. Our programme aims to help improve awareness across housing management, maintenance and compliance.”

Target audience

The new CPD programme is designed to support professionals already working within the housing and fire safety sectors and those seeking a broader understanding of residential fire safety challenges and solutions.

The programme takes approximately two hours to complete and allows participants to work through the modules at their own pace. Learners who successfully complete all modules and pass a short multiple-choice assessment will then receive a BAFSA CPD-endorsed certificate.

*Further information and booking details can be found on the BAFSA website

For new-build projects, the (now established) Innovation Unit witnessed a 90% approval rate during this 12-week rolling period, with decisions overtaking the number of new cases received during the last 12 weeks.

Highlights to 30 May

*Across all categories, 358 Gateway 2 decisions were made by the Building Safety Regulator in the 12 weeks to 30 May, with a 75% approval rate. 65% of all decisions across all categories related to London cases

*Applications representing 14,928 units were determined, of which 9,499 (ie 64%) were approvals. There are currently 38,775 in progress live case units. New applications for 13,964 residential units were received in the rolling 12 weeks to 30 May

*90% of decisions (28 out of 31) made by the Innovation Unit in the last 12 weeks were approvals. London witnessed a 100% approval rate for its 19 case decisions. This reflects the additional work and engagement with applicants to enable the delivery of safe homes

*Operational improvements to achieve the Building Safety Regulator’s External Remediation Improvement Plan’s aim of reducing average decision times have seen approval rates in this rolling 12-week period rise to 79%. This is considerably higher than 2026’s end of year minimum 65% target

*Following the introduction of the External Remediation Improvement Plan in April, 16 legacy remediation applications from 2024 now remain. A further ten applications are on track to be determined in June. This is down from 42 that were outstanding at the beginning of 2026

Accelerated assessments

Under the Building Safety Regulator’s batching process, the median time from a case being issued to a supplier to a decision is 12-to-14 weeks depending on the type of application.

This pilot process scales capacity by bundling applications to specialised engineering services suppliers for accelerated assessment, with the Building Safety Regulator maintaining regulatory oversight.

The primary goal of batching is to accelerate backlog resolution in new build and remediation applications.

Positive improvements

Charlie Pugsley, acting CEO of the Building Safety Regulator, stated: “We continue to see positive improvements in numbers of approvals for both new-build and existing building remediation cases, as well as significantly faster decision times. This includes continued positive results from our Innovation Unit by virtue of working closely with applicants to safely resolve complex technical challenges. This positive engagement has energised a growing number of decisions and rising approval rates.”

Pugsley continued: “We are also making important improvements following the recent introduction of our External Remediation Improvement Plan, with existing building approval rates of 79% over the last 12 weeks already above our minimum 65% target for the year.”

Continuing this theme, Pugsley observed: “We recognise that people living in other unremediated buildings still want them to be fixed safely and at pace. We continue to work to accelerate our assessments, decisions and approvals and also to improve consistency, ensuring that industry can build new and make existing buildings safe. As such, thousands of residents then see the essential safety improvements they deserve.”

In conclusion, Pugsley commented: “We remain steadfastly committed to continuous improvement, ensuring that accelerated decision-making for any high-risk building, either for new-build or for existing buildings, must never come at the cost of building safety.”

*Transparency Data: Building Safety Regulator Building Control Approval Application Data – March to May 2026

Featuring two full-height test rigs capable of testing Part 1 and Part 2 of BS 8414:2015 (with 2017 amendments) and BS 8414:2020, the cladding testing facility is now fully operational, with all of the FPA’s testing services being delivered from the single site in Blockley.

Rachel Brooks, head of operations and compliance at the FPA, has explained that the UKAS reaccreditation process formed an “essential step in validating” the new and enhanced facility at the FPA’s Fire Testing Laboratory.

“Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 is a key benchmark,” observed Brooks, “demonstrating that our laboratory operates with the competence, impartiality and consistency required to produce reliable and repeatable test results. For our clients, this provides assurance that testing is carried out to the highest recognised standards.”

Ongoing UKAS accreditation involves regular assessment and auditing to ensure that the processes, controls and technical capabilities of the testing facility are continually reviewed and maintained. According to Brooks, the FPA’s commitment to doing this “underpins the integrity” of the organisation’s BS 8414 testing service, giving clients confidence that their systems have been “independently and rigorously” assessed.

Josh Mason, lead cladding technician at the FPA, observed: “Subsequent to the UKAS [accreditation] test, we received some very positive feedback. UKAS highly commended us on our technical resilience, thorough documentation, a high level of professionalism and compliance when following our procedures, as well as our high levels when it comes to Health and Safety.”

Mason added that the reaccreditation by UKAS confirms the FPA’s cladding testing rigs have “reached the high standards expected”.

Fire performance

As stated, the FPA is accredited by UKAS to carry out BS 8414 testing, which tests the fire performance of external cladding on buildings. Indeed, the FPA is one of very few organisations currently offering such cladding testing facilities in the UK and Northern Ireland.

The FPA carries out material identification analysis on materials subjected to BS 8414 testing to produce a chemical ‘fingerprint’ of what has been tested. This ensures the integrity of all reports.

Successfully testing cladding systems to BS 8414 demonstrates that they meet the minimum life safety requirements set out in the Building Regulations. With the ultimate aim of enhancing the fire safety of tall buildings through external cladding systems and improving building resilience, the FPA and RISCAuthority jointly recommend that systems are assessed against RISC 501 in order to wholly demonstrate their ability to prevent fire spread to multiple floors.

*Further information is available online at www.thefpa.co.uk

The Q-Mark Fire Door Processing Scheme has been launched ahead of the withdrawal of the national classification system (ie BS 476) from Approved Document B in September 2029. This change will reshape how fire-resisting and smoke control door assemblies and door sets are evidenced and classified for demonstrating compliance with the Building Regulations in England.

With EN classification becoming the primary performance classification in Approved Document B, manufacturers need to be able to demonstrate fire resistance and smoke control performance alongside details of how construction products such as doors have been processed, evidenced and traced through the supply chain.

Developed as part of BM TRADA’s existing EN 13501-2 Q-Mark framework, the Fire Door Processing Scheme allows fabricators to work alongside established Q-Mark certified systems houses and door set manufacturers.

Capacity crunch

Victoria Brennan, general manager for certification and technical at Element Materials Technology, said: “While the deadline seems far away, manufacturers should act now to avoid a capacity crunch later on and ensure that their products can meet third party assurance, while also maintaining market access.”

Brennan continued: “With a greater regulatory focus on traceability and the oversight of products, working towards alignment with the EN classification standards as soon as possible becomes a market differentiator for manufacturers. This information enables the supply chain to realise safe and competent decision-making.”

Further, Brennan noted: “Our Fire Door Processing Scheme provides a clear and independently certified route to market for processed fire door elements, including door leaves, frames and part assemblies within door sets.”

The Q-Mark scheme will provide additional assurance for customers. Certified elements will incorporate QR code traceability and unique identification markings. In turn, this will enable clearer records of product information, supporting evidence and transparency throughout the supply chain.

Investment in testing capability

The launch of the new service is the latest example of Element’s continued investment in fire testing infrastructure. This includes the world-class £30 million Birchwood Park fire testing facility. The latter opened in January last year and was developed to support increasing demand for fire and smoke testing. The impressive facility includes a unique one-rig solution which combines both tests.

BM TRADA works with over two-thirds of the leading systems houses in the UK and supports manufacturers across the wider fire door sector, backed by an in-house team of expert product assessors specialising in fire resistance, smoke control and certification pathways.

*Further information on the Q-Mark Fire Door Processing Scheme is available by accessing the BM TRADA website

Importantly, this eleven-page White Paper outlines how fire detection systems are transforming into intelligent and connected infrastructures alongside a description of what this means for service providers, building operators and policymakers across the continent.

False fire alarms remain a significant burden. Studies including Euralarm’s own 2022 research have shown that, in some countries, the false fire alarm ratio of fire detection and alarm systems is over 85%. Unnecessary activations disrupt business continuity, erode confidence in fire protection systems and can negatively impact Emergency Services.

In parallel, climate change, energy efficiency targets and a shrinking pool of skilled labour are serving to reshape building operations and maintenance practices.

Digital transformation

Digital transformation offers powerful answers. Through smart connectivity, cloud-based monitoring and data analytics, fire detection systems can now provide real-time insights, enabling remote diagnosis, predictive maintenance and data-driven decision-making. These capabilities combine to reduce downtime, improve safety and support sustainability goals by cutting engineers’ travel time and optimising resource use.

That said, it must be recognised that with connectivity comes a new responsibility: cyber security. As fire systems are now more often connected via the Internet, they must be protected from digital threats that could compromise safety or availability.

Standards such as EN 50710:2021 (for remote services), CLC/TS 50136-10 (referencing remote access infrastructure), IEC 62443 (for industrial OT cyber security) and ISO/IEC 27001 (concentrating on information security management in the IT domain) provide the framework for building and operating secure systems that are designed to protect information, assets and operations from unauthorised access, damage or disruption.

Such secure systems that follow ‘Security by Design’ and ‘Security by Default’ principles ensure that fire protection remains reliable even in the connected era.

Resilience and sustainability

By integrating fire detection, remote services and cyber security, European stakeholders can achieve safer, more resilient and more sustainable buildings.

Interconnected digital fire safety is already emerging as the new operating model and is expected to become standard practice across many new and modernised buildings during the second half of this decade as connectivity, remote services and cyber security requirements become embedded in building operations and European regulatory frameworks.

Those parties who act now will lead the market transformation, in turn delivering smarter protection and stronger trust in the systems that safeguard lives and assets.

*The Euralarm White Paper on Fire Safety in a Connected World can be downloaded from the Euralarm website

**Further information is available online at www.euralarm.org

The Board of Directors at the FIA stands firmly behind Moore’s decision and have moved to reassure the Trade Association’s membership that, in the interim, the team at headquarters – under the guidance of chair Martin Watson and chief operating officer Andrew Ledgerton-Lynch OBE – is in “a strong position” to continue meeting their objectives and needs.

Going forward, the Board members will, of course, be looking at what this decision means for the FIA from a structural perspective. The Board and the leadership team will be working on this over the coming months.

Tremendous legacy

Moore joined the FIA back in 2015 with a stated remit of raising and expanding the organisation’s profile, duly positioning the Trade Association as a world-class leader when it comes to raising the bar on professionalism within and across the fire safety sector.

During his term in office, membership of the FIA has doubled, as have the number of people who’ve been trained. The FIA’s representation in the domain of British, European and international standards, and the volume of technical issues tackled, has markedly expanded, while the FIA has successfully increased its influence within central Government and other UK and European bodies.

In recent times, the fire industry’s Centre of Excellence was created in Northwich to provide dedicated membership and training facilities in what is an exemplary sustainable building.

The Trade Association’s AGM and Annual Lunch have doubled in size, the latter becoming a ‘go-to’ event in the industry’s annual calendar.

Added to this, Moore has been recognised with a number of fantastic achievement awards (among them the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2025 Fire and Security Matters Awards), culminating in him being awarded an OBE in His Majesty The King’s 2025 New Year Honours List for “outstanding services to the fire industry and public safety”.

Strong position

Martin Watson observed: “Ian leaves the FIA in a significantly stronger position than when he joined. Under his leadership, we have seen remarkable growth in membership, training and technical influence alongside the creation of our Centre of Excellence in Northwich.”

Watson added: “Ian’s contribution to both the FIA and the wider fire safety industry has been substantial, and we are grateful for his many years of dedicated service. It has been a privilege to work alongside him. On behalf of the Board, I would like to sincerely thank Ian for everything he has achieved. We wish him all the very best for the future.”

Ian Moore responded: “It has been an absolute privilege to lead such a talented and committed team over the past decade. Together, we’ve achieved extraordinary progress, shaping the FIA into a highly respected source of professional advice, training and influence across the industry. That reputation and impact will undoubtedly continue long after my departure. The organisation is in a strong position, supported by an experienced and dedicated Board, and I have genuinely valued and enjoyed working alongside them.”

On a personal note, Moore has been “deeply humbled” by the recognition received during his time at the FIA. “I have had the pleasure of meeting so many fantastic people along the way, many of whom I am proud to call friends. Once the dust has settled, I will certainly be in touch to maintain those relationships.”
In terms of what’s next, Moore looks forward to contributing to the growth of the FIA in a different capacity. For now, though, the foremost priority is to rest and prepare for the next chapter. That will include some consultancy work through Moore’s own Bulwark Consultancy.

From all of us here at Fire Safety Matters, we wish you the very best of fortune for the future, Ian. Thank you for your fantastic contributions in print, online and in the conference domain alongside your ongoing and invaluable support of the magazine.