At the hearing at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on 14 September 2023, Mr Gubbay, 63, who lives in Israel, pleaded guilty to failing to respond to an Article 27 request for information in relation to the fire safety management arrangements at premises known as, Austin Hall, Servia Road Woodhouse Leeds LS7 1NJ. Mr Gubbay, who was present in court, was prosecuted under Article 32(2)e of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and subsequently received a fine of £666, with £266 surcharge and ordered to pay costs of £1878.
Article 27 enables Fire and Rescue Authorities to request specific information in relation to the safety of premises, Chris Kemp, Senior Fire Protection Manager said: “This case highlights how important it is for people with fire safety responsibilities to take them seriously. The current maximum fine for this type of offence is £1000 – however from 1 October amendments brought in through the new Building Safety Act will remove that cap, providing courts with the ability to apply unlimited fines.
“Where people or organisations persistently ignore formal, legal requests for information - especially relating to public safety - we will continue to use our powers under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to safeguard the communities of West Yorkshire.”