Fire Safety is essential at multi-occupancy buildings such as blocks of flats, due to the risks and dangers to life and the potential ambiguity of responsibility.
Management Companies and property management agents of buildings with multiple leasehold or freehold flats or units have specific duties and responsibilities to perform concerning Fire Safety and general Health and Safety.
Acorn Health and Safety and BNS Management Services background
BNS Management Services are Managing Agents for multi-occupancy property. Their primary customers are the Management Companies of privately owned blocks of flats, where each flat owner has a part share of the building management, via the management company. BNS manages 150 blocks and is the largest independent property management company in Bristol.
The relationship between BNS and Acorn started in early 2010, through an initial contact between Danny Street, Director at Acorn, and Andrew Simmonds, Director at BNS, when they met through a business networking group. Initially Acorn was engaged to assess one block, and has since moved progressively through the portfolio as needs arise, covering both Fire Assessment and general Health and Safety assessment and advice.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Fire Safety regulations apply to the communal area of every block, so primarily the hall-ways, stairs and gardens. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires there to be a nominated ‘responsible person’, it defines ‘general fire precautions’, and requires a ‘risk assessment’ to be made, and other definitions and requirements. As and when units are sold and bought the fire assessment needs to be part of the information pack.
As an example, a recent night-time fire at an OAP block, an electric blanket caught fire and the whole block was evacuated while the fire crew made the building safe. Fortunately there was not much damage, but the fire officer asked to see the Fire Risk Assessment for the property.
The general Health and Safety assessments undertaken by Acorn cover several topics including control of asbestos and general health and safety such as obstruction and tripping hazards in corridors and on stairs, door closures, storage of cleaning materials and control of contractors.
BNS assessment of Acorn
Providing his own assessment, Andrew reported that, “Danny is reliable, trustworthy, efficient and quick to turn requests and work around. He is also thorough and analytical, and checks out the details.’
Ideal qualities for a Health and Safety partner for small and large businesses alike, where the implications of cutting corners could be tragic and lead to fines and jail if they are not carried out properly.
About BNS Management Services
The business that is now BNS Management Services started in 1976 when Bruce N. Simmonds, Chartered Accountant, became treasurer for a handful of blocks and was asked to take on the property management role. Thirty years on, in 2006 and with 15 properties under management, brothers Andrew and Ian Simmonds set BNS Management Services up as a separate company. Since then the company had grown steadily and now manages over 140 properties containing approximately 2,800 units around Bristol and the South West region.
Further information about BNS Management Services is available on their website, along with contact details.
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