The owner of a rental property in west London, which was described by a judge as a “deathtrap”, has been told to pay more than £60,000 after it was deemed that the house was “an accident waiting to happen” following the discovery of several fire safety failings. 

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard last week how the property on 118 Woodsford Square in Holland Park, W14, let by David Leslie Symonds to six tenants, lacked a proper fire detection system and other fire safety precautions.

Health and safety officers at Kensington and Chelsea Council discovered a number of safety breaches at the four-storey 1950s-built mid-terrace property, which has been converted into bedsits, after firefighters were called to deal with an incident there.

Safety breaches included no automatic fire detection system within the property, a lack of fire safety equipment, fixtures and fittings including smoke seals and fire separation between bedsit rooms.

There was also an absence of fire doors to some rooms and damaged fire doors to others, inadequate fire escapable key locks, the use of loose electrical cables with multiple electrical adaptors in use, no existing gas safe certificate for the boiler or heating system, while the escape route – a staircase leading to the property’s garden – was obstructed. 

In addition, it transpired that Symonds had failed to apply for a house in multiple occupation (HMO) licence, which was required as the property had six unrelated tenants. 

Now deterred by the idea of being a landlord, Symonds is planning to sell the property in Holland Park.