Landlords beware!

North Bay Fire & Emergency Services
News Release

********************

Two years after a provincial regulation that mandates working smoke alarms be installed on every storey of a dwelling unit and outside sleeping areas, some North Bay landlords are slow to ensure the safety of their tenants. Two North Bay landlords recently gave their excuses to a Justice of the Peace for not complying with the Ontario Fire Code, as a result, the courts handed down a decision on 28 March 2008.

In one case, North Bay Fire and Emergency Services doused a blaze that revealed contraventions of the Ontario Fire Code. The building, described as being two storeys with a dwelling unit on each level, was owned jointly by a husband and wife. Fines for non compliance of smoke alarms as well as additional fines for improper fire separations were slapped on each owner separately, totaling $5,150. Of that total, each of the two smoke alarm violations received a fine of $1,000 per owner. Fire Prevention Officer Joe Gardiner stated “a fine of $2000 for failure to provide a working smoke alarm is typical.”

The second case was the result of an inspection upon complaint received by tenants. The three storey building consisted of four dwelling units. Violations included insufficient fire separations, hollow core doors on apartments with no self closing devices, a non compliant fire escape and lack of sufficient working smoke alarms. Fines totaled $9,530, with two smoke alarm charges at $2,000 a piece totaling $4,000.

Landlords Beware. A smoke alarm is an inexpensive life safety device intended to give early warning to allow occupants a safe escape from a burning building. The cost of installing and maintaining smoke alarms is much less expensive than the cost of a fine for non compliance.

********************