Fire certificates

Summary

The requester asked for statistics on fire certificate compliance, inspection numbers, and prosecutions for flats and licensed premises in the Isle of Man for 2015-2017. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed that the regulations rely on self-regulation with minimal prosecutions, providing specific counts of compliant and non-compliant properties and inspection figures.

Key Facts

• There are 1,457 properties containing flats on record, with 8,839 total flats.
• 8,547 flats are compliant with regulations, while 292 are non-compliant.
• Prosecutions are rare due to a self-regulation approach; only one formal caution was issued over three years.
• 231 licensed premises currently hold a fire certificate issued by the Fire and Rescue Service.
• Inspections of flats decreased from 1,043 in 2015 to 186 in 2017 to date.

Data Disclosed

• 1457
• 8839
• 8547
• 292
• 1043
• 975
• 68
• 857
• 738
• 119
• 186
• 184
• 2
• 1450
• 1067
• 100
• 26
• 231
• 74
• 79
• 24
• 2015
• 2016
• 2017-09-20
• IM102401I

Original Request

Please provide the number of registered flats that the Isle of Man fire and rescue hold on file as properties that fall under the Isle of Man flat regulations. Please provide how many of these flats were inspected by Isle of Man fire service in 2015 2016 and 2017 to date. Please advise how many of the premises failed the inspection and how many prosecutions were taken in respect to non conforming properties. Please provide how many listened premises are currently holding a fire certificate issue by Isle ofMan fire and rescue. Also how many of these premises were inspected in 2015 2016 and 2017 to date. IM102401I

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

REFERENCE NUMBER: IM102401I 20th September 2017

Freedom of Information Act 2015 We write further to your application dated 11th September and received by us the same day Regarding your request for the following information;
Please provide the number of registered flats that the Isle of Man fire and rescue hold on file as properties that fall under the Isle of Man flat regulations. Please provide how many of these flats were inspected by Isle of Man fire service in 2015 2016 and 2017 to date. Please advise how many of the premises failed the inspection and how many prosecutions were taken in respect to non conforming properties.

Please provide how many listened premises are currently holding a fire certificate issue by Isle of Man fire and rescue. Also how many of these premises were inspected in 2015 2016 and 2017 to date. I sought clarification to the final element of the request and you confirmed that it related to licenced not listened premises. The response to your request is; Properties containing flats

1457 Properties which are fully compliant 1307 Total number of flats on record
8839 Flats that comply

8547 Non comply

292

Chief Executive’s Office DHA Headquarters Tromode Douglas, ISLE OF MAN IM2 5AP Telephone: (01624) 694313 Fax: (01624) 621298 Web address: www@gov.im/dha Email: GeneralEnquiries.DHA@dha.gov.im

Department of Home Affairs Rheynn Cooishyn Sthie Inspections carried out

Total
Comply Non Comply following inspection 2015

1043
975

68 2016

857

738

119

2017

186

184

2

Common area inspection program - 1450 properties identified, with 1067 being discounted as less than 5 storeys.

Properties to date 5 storey or greater totals 100 of which 26 have been inspected.

In regards to prosecutions I would advise as follows. The HMO & Flat Regulations are based on self-regulation. Our aim is to support and assist owners to comply with the regulations and not prosecute them. Over the three year period we have issued a formal caution to one flat owner.

In respect of licenced premises we have;

231 license premises holding a fire certificate issue by Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service. These are inspected at time intervals based on risk.

The numbers of premises inspected in the relevant years were;

2015 74 2016 79 2017 24 to date

Your right to request a review If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to Sally-Ann Cain (Sally-Ann.Cain@gov.im). An electronic version and paper version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1 Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act; or 2 Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at: https://www.inforights.im
Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/make-a-freedom-of- information-request/

Yours sincerely

[NB You must consider whether you can give the requester advice and assistance to enable them to clarify or rephrase their request. Giving examples of what information you think they may be referring to or giving examples of what you believe they meant will help.]

Mark Kelly Chief Executive Department of Home Affairs