A Surrey-based housing association has been ordered to pay £120,000 after pleading guilty to serious fire safety breaches directly linked to the death of a vulnerable resident at one of its properties.
The case, prosecuted by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, serves as a sobering reminder of what can happen when fire safety obligations are neglected – and why responsible persons must take their legal duties seriously.
What Happened at Greylees, Godalming?
The incident took place in January 2022 at Greylees, an independent living scheme in Godalming, when a fire broke out requiring firefighters from Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to rescue several residents from the building.
Tragically, one wheelchair-using resident was overcome by heat and smoke in a communal corridor and was unable to escape. The resident, Mr Waller, lost his life as a direct result of the fire and the conditions within the building at the time.
Mount Green Housing Association was subsequently prosecuted by SFRS and pleaded guilty to breaching the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by placing individuals at risk of death or serious injury.
The case was heard at Staines Magistrates’ Court on 4 February 2025, where the £120,000 fine was handed down.
What Were the Specific Fire Safety Failures?
The failures admitted by Mount Green were not the result of a single oversight — they represented a pattern of neglect stretching back several years.
The association admitted to three specific breaches: failing to act on fire safety recommendations that had been outstanding since as far back as 2019, failing to attach a self-closing device to a flat entrance door, and failing to provide an appropriately configured system to support the building’s stay-put evacuation policy.
Each of these failings, on its own, could have serious consequences in a fire situation.
Together, they created conditions in which a vulnerable resident had no realistic chance of escape.
It is also worth noting that a remedial works programme had been initiated at Greylees as early as April 2021, yet it was not completed until June 2023 – more than two years after work began, and over a year after the fatal fire.
The Sentencing and Its Implications
At sentencing, the judge acknowledged that the fine was lower than would typically be imposed in such cases, citing the community impact of the association’s wider work in areas such as domestic abuse support and housing provision.
However, the principle of accountability was made clear: responsible persons cannot allow fire safety failings to go unaddressed, regardless of the other pressures an organisation may face.
SFRS Area Commander Lee Spencer-Smith was direct in his assessment following the verdict: “Responsible persons have a duty of care to their residents, particularly the most vulnerable members of the community. This outcome highlights the consequences of failures in fire safety management and the critical need for proactive, responsible action to protect people.”
Mount Green’s director Marcus Canning accepted the fine in full, extended sincere condolences to Mr Waller’s family, and confirmed the association had since implemented changes to strengthen its processes and policies going forward.
The Wider Lesson for Buildings Across Surrey
This case is far from an isolated incident.
Across the country, housing associations, landlords, and building managers are facing increasing scrutiny over their fire safety arrangements – and rightly so. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places clear legal duties on responsible persons to identify risks, act on findings, and maintain appropriate fire safety measures at all times.
Ignoring recommendations, delaying remedial works, or assuming existing arrangements are adequate without regular review is not acceptable — and as this case demonstrates, the consequences can be fatal.
Independent living schemes, sheltered housing, and any premises housing vulnerable residents carry a particularly high level of responsibility.
Residents may have limited mobility, may be less able to respond quickly to an alarm, or may rely entirely on staff or building systems to assist their evacuation. This makes every element of fire safety – from correctly fitted self-closing door devices to clearly defined evacuation strategies – critically important.
How ESI: Fire Safety Can Help
At ESI: Fire Safety, we work with residential and commercial premises across Surrey and the surrounding areas to ensure buildings are fully compliant, properly maintained, and genuinely safe for the people who live and work in them. We understand the legal obligations placed on responsible persons and provide practical, expert support to help you meet them.
Our services include detailed fire risk assessments, fire compartmentation surveys, fire stopping works, fire door surveys, fire alarm maintenance, and fire extinguisher servicing. Whether you manage a single building or a portfolio of properties, we can help you identify risks, prioritise remedial works, and put the right systems in place before problems escalate.
If your building has outstanding fire safety recommendations, if your last fire risk assessment is overdue for review, or if you simply want reassurance that your current arrangements meet your legal obligations, get in touch with the ESI: Fire Safety team today.
The cost of getting it right is far lower than the cost of getting it wrong.
