A landlord has been fined after a family of five suffered carbon monoxide poisoning at their rented home.
North Avon Magistrates’ Court heard that on December 30 2014, the tenant returned home to Mangotsfield, and turned on the heating.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuting told the court the casing for the boiler was not in place as it had been removed to relight the boiler as the ignition button was not working. The tenants were not aware of the risks created by leaving the case off.
Later that evening five residents fell ill and were taken to hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Michael John Bull, Bristol admitted to breaching Regulations 36(2)(a) and 36(3)(a) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, and was fined £2,360 plus full costs of £1,532 were awarded to HSE.
After the hearing, inspector Matthew Tyler, said: “It is important that domestic landlords understand and meet their legal obligations to ensure that gas appliances in their tenanted properties are checked for safety annually and regularly serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer. This case demonstrates that where this is not undertaken that tenant can be exposed to the products of combustion including Carbon Monoxide which in the most serious cases can result in death.”